Create a Family With a Twist 4/29

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] " [name_f]Bea[/name_f] " [name_f]Megan[/name_f] Lindsford (20) is Joanie’s girlfriend and the main person to hear about the ongoing shenanigans regarding [name_u]Jett[/name_u]. Aside from living on the same street, [name_f]Bea[/name_f] and [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] bonded thanks to being sat together in alphabetical seating orders at school, as their preschool teacher insisted on splitting siblings up in his classes to endorse socialising with other pupils. While she was definitely always friends with [name_u]Jett[/name_u] too, anyone who saw them hanging out with the small group of neighbourhood kids could tell [name_f]Bea[/name_f] and [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] were especially close; having lots of private jokes, games and even correspondence in letters they’d deliver to one another [which absolutely no-one else was allowed to know the contents of]. While the twins were raised by a functionally single parent, Bea’s mom was always alone after falling pregnant at 18 and being disowned by her parents, leading to mother and daughter forming an unbreakable bond when Bea’s father made it clear he wasn’t accepting any responsibility for his child.

She usually was babysat by her next-door neighbours - an elderly couple who’s children lived in another state - and formed a pseudo-grandparent outlook towards them, being especially fond of their Irish Setter [name_u]Sammy[/name_u], who she started walking by herself when she was a little older. This sparked Bea’s undeniable love of animals, and currently she’s studying zoology at university, not having picked a specialist area yet but she thinks canines will be her ultimate choice. [name_f]Bea[/name_f] still visits her former babysitters when able to, and is even friends with their grandson who came to visit for a few summers when she was a preteen. Her mom is absolutely still her hero though, and they have random daytrips whenever they feel like it, usually going somewhere coastal as [name_f]Bea[/name_f] considers the beach relaxing. This surprises people who know her, as she’s a very energetic and spirited person - constantly on the move, attending some events, going rock climbing or slacklining - but even [name_f]Bea[/name_f] needs a moment to collect her thoughts and take a breather. At 11 she was diagnosed with ADD, a revelation that surprised no-one, but it’s helped considerably when she needs to explain her behaviour to teachers; as her inability to sit still was infamous.

The relationship between her and [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] was partly a surprise - some people absolutely saw it coming given their closeness; others were taken aback - including [name_u]Jett[/name_u], but [name_f]Bea[/name_f] attributes this to him being wrapped up in things with his then-girlfriend. She isn’t someone who really ascribes labels to anything - as long as she and [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] are happy together thats what’s importsnt - but feels pansexual best suits her, and is what she uses when asked. Being an only child means she jokes about her quote-on-quote uselessness when it comes to providing advise about such things and instead she usually provides a listening ear and distraction suggestion when anything stressful’s happening. [name_f]Bea[/name_f] typically cycles everywhere - a car is out of her budget right now - and has a small basket on the front which is commandeered by her and her mom’s own dog [a recent addition and birthday gift she was overjoyed to receive]: Binks the [name_m]German[/name_m] Spitz. She jokes about him being a traitor as he adores [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] almost as much as he does her, and [name_f]Bea[/name_f] makes sure to bring him round to play with the twins brother too.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for one-night stands (not written explicitly).

[name_f]Kristin[/name_f] [name_f]Emmylou[/name_f] Lindsford (38) is Bea’s mother. She’s not close with her parents since they abandoned her during her pregnancy and she’s grateful for her elderly neighbours who babysat [name_f]Bea[/name_f] when she was younger, considering them real family and found them an inspiration to her life. [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] never had any other children and doesn’t believe to have any nieces or nephews but her brother, whose also cut himself from his parents, believes he may be a father. He had a one-night stand years ago with a woman in another state now who got pregnant but she doesn’t know who the baby’s father is and had just remembered Kristin’s brother. She wants him to take a paternity test and unlike Kristin’s ex, he’s willing to be an active father if the test comes positive. [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] knows her brother is under stress either way: If it’s positive, his life has dramatically changed and he may have to move states which he feels reluctant to do as his life choices would be done in such a hurry. If it’s negative, he will be resentful that he wasted his energy thinking about how to be the best father for someone who isn’t his child and will feel everything was all for nothing. [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] remembers her ex insisting to get a paternity test and denying [name_f]Bea[/name_f] was his even after it already came positive and is grateful her brother is willing to accept either result regardless of how the results will affect him.

She supports Bea’s relationship with [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] and wants to support [name_u]Jett[/name_u] but doesn’t understand how he could get in so much trouble. She knows he’s redeeming himself too and believes he’s capable. [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] herself is a teacher but not for either school [name_u]Jett[/name_u] was expelled from, however she has taught the twins’ brother before. She’s currently learning how to bake from [name_f]Hettie[/name_f] and she’s close with her and [name_u]Josie[/name_u].

[I_meme_it]

Bethany Yvonne Keystone (20) is someone Kristin knows mostly in passing, as she’s Jett’s ex-girlfriend, and typically was referred to as his impulse control. The reliable, responsible and organised nature of Bethany is what made her so clearly different from the wild, combative Jett; however many people, including the twins’ mother Josie, would point out how she tempered him in the best way. Sometimes the couple bickered about the fact Bethany never shied away from pointing out when she felt he was being unreasonable, but her honesty is what led to them getting along so well, as she never sugar coats if it wouldn’t benefit someone.

In some ways the breakup wasn’t a total shock to Bethany. She’d noticed Jett was drawing into himself more - not even talking to Joanie, which was a shock given their closeness - but thought it was because of his plans regarding the business he was setting up. Due to her plans to attend college, she was scared it could cause him to think they needed to stop going out - as she’s a midwifery student who understandably dedicates most of her time to her course - but when he ended things it took her back, as she thought a good heart-to-heart could stop whatever worries he was facing.

Bethany’s still living at home to save on rent and admittedly this helped a lot when she was devastated by the sudden ending of the relationship. Her parents and older siblings - even her brother, who wanted to confront Jett until she talked him out of picking an argument - have been very supportive, convincing her to focus on completing her degree and spending time on the hobbies she loves; including trampolining and crochet, having her own Depop business on the side for extra cash. The large friend circle she’s accumulated since kindergarten rallied round her in this difficult time too, and her best friend practically lived with the Keystone family in the 2 weeks immediately after, given how devastated Bethany was, worsened by the way she blamed herself initially.

This has thankfully faded in the subsequent year and she’s in a much better place, having just purchased her own car, with plans on an internship at a local hospital to hone her experience further for the future.

~

Jett belongs to @rachelheth !

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Myla[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] Keystone (23) is Bethany’s older sister but not the first-born, that’s their brother. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] supports [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] living at home since she gets to visit [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] as well any time she visits her parents. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] lives with a roommate but their friendship is strained due to the other woman pulling away from conversations and small talk but [name_f]Myla[/name_f] knows this roomie isn’t trying to be mean and knows she’s not at fault for why her roommate is doing this. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] wonders if it has anything to do with the Lombard conflicts since her roommate has never once wanted to talk about them, but [name_f]Myla[/name_f] won’t force that on her.

[name_f]Myla[/name_f] is close to [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] and her group of friends, especially Bethany’s best friend who [name_f]Myla[/name_f] thinks is such a great person and wants her and [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] to be best friends forever. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] also takes the culinary school [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] is in and both of them are close and both adore the passion. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] truthfully doesn’t know much about what [name_u]Jett[/name_u] is like since she hasn’t seen him since his breakup with [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] doesn’t want to get involved in their former relationship and wants [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] to have the final say in how she and [name_u]Jett[/name_u] will move forward, if they want to contact each other. She doesn’t know how her siblings feel about this however. [name_f]Myla[/name_f] is newly dating [name_f]Joanie[/name_f] and Jett’s cousin, [name_m]Clive[/name_m] Kowolski, but they’re taking their relationship very slow especially due to all the crazed drama.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: parentification, neglect

[name_f]Darcie[/name_f] [name_f]Flora[/name_f] Yessick (20) is Bethany’s best friend and has a pretty mixed opinion of [name_u]Jett[/name_u], being someone he knows he’ll have to contend with when trying to restart the relationship. This might be worse for him given [name_f]Myla[/name_f] approves of [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] so much, meaning any concerns she has about a reconciliation between the couple will have likely been passed on. All [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] wants is to see [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] happy and treated as she deserves, but there’s obvious complexity to these circumstances, and she can’t help but be frustrated and disappointed in how [name_u]Jett[/name_u] chose to go about ending things. She was unintentionally someone he always tended to be quite wary of, owed to the fact [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] is never someone to mince or sugar-coat her words - especially when it comes to people she cares about - and in many ways she acted as his antithesis; serving as valedictorian for her year group and currently she’s studying to become a social worker. There was never animosity or hostility from [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] towards [name_u]Jett[/name_u], but her unintentionally intense personality was a lot for him to handle, and he preferred a distance between them even when he and [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] were at their happiest.

The majority of Darcie’s nature stems from expectation dictating her own life. Her parents are total contrasts - her dad’s in the army and constantly moving about with her stepmom and stepbrother; her mom’s wrapped up in socialising and reclaiming youth - meaning she’s the one who always ended up looking after her younger brother. While never cruel or intentionally careless people, [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] lacks any real faith in her parents, and as she’s grown older, this is held back less when she speaks to them. Her dad usually argues, while her mom plays ignorant, but college has proven a blessing for her as she’s finally been able to get some independence back in regards to her schedule as her brother’s now living with his best friend’s family. The siblings share a very strong bond, in spite of [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] not having much time for their mom and dad [when she isn’t outright arguing about something with the latter because of his intense denial], but she does wonder if her brother ever hides things because he feels he’s depended on her so much and owes her a break.

In spite of how she scares some people, [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] has a very caring side that comes out around those she’s close to, and her tenacity for helping young people makes her ideal for social work. Through gudiance from her professor, she’s reigned in her fierceness more - as she can’t really start putting parents on blast, no matter how much she might want to or be justified in her outrage - but has been able to improve her debating skills and diplomacy. Thanks to her brother needing her, [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] didn’t participate in basically any extra curriculum activities, although she doesn’t draw and paint as a means of relaxing or getting out her emotions. She is seeing an art therapist now, to help overcome her difficult feelings where her parents are concerned, and finds creative expression lightens her burden about the past. Cooking is something she’s unsurprisingly adept at too, but at college she’s been able to do this for fun instead of obligation, and is learning to bake with the help of one of her roommates - who likewise had a difficult childhood, leading to their bonding. [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] also owns a rescue cat - Mr. Wiggly [not her name of choice but she finds it so amusing she refuses to change it] - who’s of no discernable breed, instead being a black, white ans grey ball of fur, but she absolutely adores him.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Jon[/name_m] [name_m]Todd[/name_m] Lindsford (41) is Darcie’s professor and also the professor of her best friend. He’s the brother of [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] and uncle of [name_f]Bea[/name_f]. Lately, he’s been drained; he’s done the paternity test for the child he may have fathered…and it turns out he isn’t the father after all. He’s not angry, it was a one-time fling and wasn’t like the baby’s mother cheated on him. But he was looking forward to having a possible child in his life and feels he wasted his time emotionally on something he wasn’t even part of. [name_m]Jon[/name_m] has realised just how much he wants to be a father after all and feels it’s going to be hard to do now at 41. He’s grateful for [name_f]Kristin[/name_f] and [name_f]Bea[/name_f] for being so understanding and supportive of him.

This has made him more sympathetic towards people he works with and that includes his students. Part of a professor’s job is to motivate and support students and that’s why he’s helped guide [name_f]Darcie[/name_f] and make her feel better about life moving forward. He is somewhat aware of what Darcie’s friend is going through although she is less open than [name_f]Darcie[/name_f], which [name_m]Jon[/name_m] understands. He’s also good friends with Darcie’s art therapist, having grown up on the same street.

[I_meme_it]

Maritxu ’ [name_f]Trix[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Lucía[/name_f] Yaben (18) is the young woman who [name_m]Jon[/name_m] thought he could be the father to. When Trix’s’ mother met [name_m]Jon[/name_m], she was visiting from Portugalete, to celebrate finishing nursing school, accompanied by several friends. She had a few casual flings and was very open about the fact she wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, however the paternity of her daughter came down to two men: [name_m]Jon[/name_m] and a fellow Spaniard who was on holiday (as Trix’s’ mum belonged to a social group mostly consisting of Europeans on a brief holiday who banded together). [name_f]Trix[/name_f] herself was actually raised in Manchester, following her mother moving there to pursue further career opportunities, as well as her aunt, who married a British soldier and settled there before she was born.

On account of her familial background, [name_f]Trix[/name_f] is well-traveled for her youth. Not only has she been backpacking across [name_u]Scotland[/name_u] - with her best friend, who lives in [name_m]Fort[/name_m] [name_u]William[/name_u] - she’s visited the Basque Country in Spain on multiple occasions; not only connecting more with her cultural heritage, but bonding further with her mum in the process. Unlike some of her friends’ who were raised by single parents or were fostered and/or adopted, [name_f]Trix[/name_f] was notably less interested in finding her father, feeling her mum was the only parent she needed thanks to their closeness. While she was young when she became a mother, Trix’s’ mum never parentified her or behaved in an immature manner, never trying to be a friend to her daughter, but solidly supporting, guiding and doing all she could to encourage her to pursue what makes her happiest.

Right now, [name_f]Trix[/name_f] is preparing to attend art school, where she hopes to major in illustration and subsequently enter the comic book industry with these credentials. Fairly ironically, she has no stomach for anything vaguely gross, respecting her mum’s stomach for unpleasant sights greatly - even if she absolutely cannot hack it herself. She spent a lot of her childhood with her aunt, uncle and two cousins (one guy, the other uses he/they pronouns), and her cousin closest in age is currently studying music, with the pair basically becoming siblings in the process of growing up together. They treated Spanish as a secret code whenever they could, and still primarily communicate using it, unless around friends (if a private conversation isn’t required).

Learning of [name_m]Jon[/name_m] was a surprise to [name_f]Trix[/name_f] - even more so that he was disappointed about not being her father: she actually expected disinterest or relief from him. She isn’t an overly cynical person but given the massive changes having a daughter brings to someone’s life, made her wonder if either man would be relieved. Her biological father was also pleased by the news but maybe [name_f]Trix[/name_f] accepted this easier because he’s got a stepson of his own, so his experience was a reassurance. They have arranged to meet up, but it will take a while, as he’s now living in [name_f]Barcelona[/name_f] and doesn’t want to involve his family in this first introduction for Trix’s’s benefit.

[CherryBomb50]

Madalena Bia Yaben (41) is Trix’s mother and is from a mostly British mum and mostly Portuguese father. Madalena speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and some French. She’s also looked up her heritage and knows she’s very Basque, which she’s embellished through artwork. She is a dance teacher and uses culture in her dance styles. Given the stress from the Lombard family, she often avoided the Lombards before befriending Hettie Kowolski whom she didn’t know had the maiden name Lombard. She’s warmed up more to the family and is always hoping for redemption.

Madalena had felt for Trix as to finding out her true father and is grateful by how nice Trix was to her and making sure Madalena wasn’t so stressed out from not knowing how to contact either potential father. Madalena admittingly does feel bad for Jon even if it was so long ago, just because she feels like she rejected him, or rather biology rejected him, out of fatherhood. She is grateful Trix’s true father is happy and excited to have been a father and she wants to make him as comfortable as possible, seeing that she would have told him much sooner had she known. Madalena hasn’t met his stepson, who also lives in Barcelona, but she feels he would be intrigued to some extent despite the massive family change this will bring. She couldn’t have gotten through this without her sister and brother-in-law, alongside Trix herself and her cousins.

Hettie was created by @kitkatcookie.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: custody battles, mention of controlling behaviour

Ewa Luiza [Kowolski] Berkovich (40) is someone Madalena’s heard of frequently, as she’s Hettie’s sister-in-law, and her penpal loves to keep her updated about the extended family ongoings; especially her musically inclined niece, Avielle, and nephew, Luca. Mother to Avielle and fellow aunt to Luca, Ewa runs an ethically minded supply shop alongside her husband, who she met at university where they both majored in business, although her degree was combined with environment studies too, which led to their decision to cater exclusively around products that are soundly made and cruelty free. As the youngest, Ewa could be a bit of a spoilt brat growing up, pestering both her siblings with endless questions and hating to be left out of anything they explored. She always clung to their mother and idolised everything about her, learning to cook traditional Polish dishes with her assistance, and developing her love of making soaps alongside her. Ewa actually made one for Madalena at Hettie’s request, and her three children always benefit from her experiments, with her middle one being obsessed with helping her craft them.

Although her pregnancy with her eldest was unplanned, Ewa handled the surprise well, and shares a special bond with Avielle. She’s hugely proud of her musical accomplishments and willingness to confront those who treat others poorly, but also understands her daughter has boundaries and helped her husband see that their daughter won’t be a baby forever, although she never dismisses his sentimentality [she actually encourages it]. Ewa converted to Judaism upon marrying him and all her children have been raised with this faith, but they’re relaxed in practice and don’t take issue with their kids exploring spirituality or other religions. Their youngest especially is fascinated by paganism, and Ewa’s mom made them a little wreath for Halloween, much to the eight-year-old’s absolutely delight.

Now Ewa’s less annoying - as she herself calls her child self - she has a great relationship her siblings, and tries to see their parents whenever possible. She has been drawn into some chaos more recently though. Her sister-in-law [her husband’s sister] married into the LDS and recently split up with her husband, leading to a very hostile custody battle breaking out between them. There’s never been any closeness between him and the Berkovich’s: he was very disrespectful of their Jewish faith, suggesting they convert in the rudest speech imaginable, and behaved in a very controlling manner towards his wife, leading to a fall out between her and her twin brother, which Ewa’s husband [the eldest of his siblings, and non-twin] spent almost a year patching up with her help. Their nieces from this marriage are all under the age of thirteen and distraught by the conflict, having come to live with the other Berkovich brother and his family in the meantime, before any court proceedings happen. Although this has spared more upset, Ewa knows things are only going to get nastier, and she doesn’t trust her sister-in-law’s husband’s family to not attempt at poisoning the girls’ minds.

---

@A.B.Galaxy
@wandering_willow
@jinxed_peach
@Tasia
@moonwriteen

resurrection

Avielle belongs to @I_meme_it

Luca belongs to yours truly

---

Berkovich Family

Mr. Berkovich [eldest] + Ewa, his wife, their three children
Mr. Berkovich [second brother]
Mr. Berkovich & Ms. Berkovich [twins]

[jinxed_peach]

Shantel Elspie Berkovich [20] is the eldest child of the second Mr. Berckovich, brother of Ewa’s husband, making her the cousin of Avielle and her younger siblings. She was the one who shocked the hell out of her parents by being conceived despite use of both birth control and condoms. The family now jokes that it was just an early sign of how determined and stubborn she is. When Shantel gets an idea in her head she’s basically married to it from then on, like a dog with a bone she won’t let go until she gets what she wants whether it be a job she’s applying for or a date with her crush. She refuses to let anything hold her back, when she was in middle school she rolled her ankle pretty bad in gymnastics and was told to stay off it for a month, she was back in the gym two weeks later with her ankle surprisingly healed. Her motto is essentially ‘dream it, do it’ as cheesy at that is she finds it yields pretty incredible results.

She’s also very loyal and committed because of her stubbornness. She’s still on the gymnastics team now in her college because she signed up for the class on a whim when she was ten. Though it’s come in handy since she’s now at her university of choice on a full ride thanks to a gymnastics scholarship. She’s studying occupational therapy right now with a minor in psychology which has come in handy when dealing with her ‘insane’ uncle and his ensuing divorce from her aunt.

She’s been trying to stay out of the conflict and instead put her time and energy into cheering up her cousins while they’re caught in the middle of all this. Though they’re staying with her aunt and uncle and their family she frequently makes time to go over to visit them and hang out. She’s been trying to keep things light these days and has been taking the younger girls on fun outings like to the mall for new clothes and ‘fidgets’ (whatever those are, the girls seem pretty excited about them despite Shantel being utterly confused by the little toys) or out to the movies where she treats them to whatever snacks and treats they want.

She really feels for the younger girls and what they’re going through, as well has having a lot of sympathy for her aunt since the two were close when Shantel was a kid. That’s another reason that she’s trying to create all these fun memories with her cousins since she had so many good times with their mom way back when. Family is very important to her and comes above all else in her eyes, her younger siblings however are not quiet as dedicated as she is but that’s not out of any malice really but rather simple teenage chaos. They’ll grow out of it, hopefully.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Maci[/name_f] [name_f]Annette[/name_f] Berkovich, nee Lenton (39) is Shantel’s mother, Ewa’s sister-in-law and aunt to her children. Becoming a mother at 19 was a shock to [name_f]Maci[/name_f], a trainee beautician at the time, but she and her future husband vowed to - at the very least - be excellent co-parents. Their relationship was hard to define until [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] was just past her third birthday, not officially dating but living together to raise their daughter., at which point they realised their bond had grown by putting [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] first, and they decided to officially become a couple once more, marrying when [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] was 7, in a lovely, low-key ceremony where she was their joint maid of honour and best man.

The Berkovich family were Maci’s rock in this difficult time, as her own parents were furious with her, and continuously shamed her for choosing to continue her career in beauty, opposed to giving into their pressures of attending college. Maci’s only sibling - her brother - is an orthopedic surgeon, and of course this lead to a lot of comparisons, as she’s a ‘lowly’ beautician and massage specialist, who’s dedicated to ensuring her customers have a relaxing, gratifying experience at the salon she co-owns with her mentor (the woman she considers her mom in every emotionally meaningful way).

[name_f]Maci[/name_f] and her husband have had another child - Shantel’s younger siblings: fraternal G/B twins - but they’re very removed from the conflict (much to everyone’s relief); given their focuses are on the high school landscape. People joke that Shantel’s stubbornness is entirely Maci’s doing, as when she decides on something she’s just as focused and difficult to deter, but she congratulates her eldest for how positively she applies this mindset. She has made sure that [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] isn’t taking on too much given the support she’s lending to her cousins - while [name_f]Maci[/name_f] spends time with her sister-in-law - but is impressed by the kindness shown by all three of her kids towards them.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_m]Yaron[/name_m] [name_m]Zachary[/name_m] Berkovich (39) is Maci’s husband and father of [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] and the twins. In contrast to his beloved wife and eldest daughter, Yaron’s a very mellow character, who lives by the ideal of going with the flow, something the twins have inherited more from him [although they have their own moments of absolute determination, which he handles well]. Given the sibling quartet, [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] and his older brother - who are only a year apart on age - were an inseparable pair growing up, whereas his younger brother and sister always went off together; a dynamic only challenged when the aforementioned terrible ex came into the picture, taking up the majority of their sister’s time thanks to his demanding nature. [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] was the one best suited to serve as attempted mediator among the three brothers - having always been considered the most approachable one by her, thanks to his calm way of handling difficult situations; unlike her twin [who’s naturally reactive and can jump to conclusions too quickly] or their eldest brother [who can be a bit overly prone to worrying] - but even his affable nature was tested by the man.

Having opted to become a psychiatric nurse, this career path surprised no-one given Yaron’s nature, and through his placement he’s managed to train as a chemist, being responsible for all medication at the hospital where he works now. Yaron’s in-laws have never missed an opportunity to compare him to their son - the surgeon - but he really couldn’t care less, as the way they treated his wife was more than enough to make [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] decide their opinions weren’t to be valued. This indifference only served to annoy them more, as the fact he shared Maci’s perspective on life made it harder for them to attempt dictating her future, as [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] always backed her passion for beauty therapy and encouraged his then-girlfriend’s wishes to pursue what gave her happiness and fulfilment.

He and [name_f]Maci[/name_f] do have more frequent contact with her brother, so [name_f]Shanel[/name_f] and the twins can spend time with their cousins, however he admits he doesn’t have much in common with the man or his wife. By no means are they as petty as Maci’s parents, but they’re prone to snobbery, and as [name_f]Shanel[/name_f] and the twins have grown up, they’ve tired more of this attitude themselves. In spite of this, the cousins have very good relationships, and [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] likes to compliment [name_f]Maci[/name_f] by insisting her nature’s been inherited by them. He’s a born romantic who loves spoiling his wife with affection and kindness at every given opportunity, which she’s eager to return; although he’s toned this down when it comes to his kids, as teenagers find public hugs terribly embarassing.

Outside of work and family, Yaron’s fond of history - he’s actually completing a degree currently, part-time - and fairgrounds. When they were teenagers, he, [name_f]Maci[/name_f] and his older brother spent almost all of their time thrill seeking, and rides were a perfect answer to this search, something he introduced his kids to. He doesn’t bring up his youth much around them though, as it’s another point of humiliation for his kids. Something he has grown to appreciate more as he’s aged is gardening: [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] now has an allotment plot where he grows vegetables primarily, as well as some herbs, which serves as a place for him to clear his head and relax as well. Given his demeanour, it surprises people he enjoys adrenaline fuelling activites, but [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] just jokingly replies it’s how he sources energy to compensate for his low-key approach to things. His other main activity is outdoor swimming, but this is confined to the summer months, as [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] would rather avoid an encounter with hypothermia.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_m]Riaan[/name_m] [name_u]Lael[/name_u] Berckovich [13] and [name_f]Evaleen[/name_f] [name_f]Marika[/name_f] Berckovich [13] are the twin children of [name_f]Maci[/name_f] and [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] and pesky younger siblings to [name_f]Shantel[/name_f]. [name_m]Born[/name_m] almost exactly nine months after their parents wedding the two ‘honeymoon’ babies were very easy infants to care for, doted upon by their parents and big sister for the majority of their lives. As well as their extended family such as their grandparents though less so by their father’s side of the family considering how busy with their own affairs the Berkovichs can be.

These twins unlike the family’s other set of twins, their paternal aunt and uncle, are much closer and consider each other to be a ‘dynamic duo’ though they try not be be too close and be that overly bonded twin set that leaves outsiders wondering if they’re a little more than siblings which is a stereotype that makes them both cringe.

Like their father they’re both a bit of adrenaline junkies, amusement parks, zip-lining, and anything fast and exciting is they’re preferred place to celebrate birthdays with plans to go bungee jumping for their upcoming 14th birthday. [name_m]Riaan[/name_m] also enjoys cooling down after any thrill seeking in the garden with his dad and keeps a fair amount of houseplants in his room as well. As they enter their teen years however they’ve been exploring a little more outside of their family’s bounds, [name_f]Evaleen[/name_f] especially has been pushing their limits by hanging out with some kids from the older grades and getting into a little bit of trouble here and there but nothing illegal. Mostly being nuisances rather than menaces.

[name_m]Riaan[/name_m] has also been experiencing his first puppy love with a girl who’s on track and field on their high school’s co-ed team. They are unfortunately that annoying young couple who’s attached at the hip and overly affectionate. He’s been blowing off hanging out with [name_f]Evaleen[/name_f] in favor of his new girlfriend much to both his twin and his older sister’s annoyance. In response [name_f]Evaleen[/name_f] has been blowing him off as an act of retaliation to hang out with her older friends, mostly to just screw around at one another’s house expect for the Berkovich residence since both parents, as well as [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] who sort of considers herself a third parent at times, are not too fond of the friend group but don’t see much harm in the friendships.

They’ve mostly absolved themselves from the drama surrounding their paternal aunt since they don’t see it as business that they need to meddle in and usually flee the room of entire house when one of their parents brings it up. On occasion they have tagged along with [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] and their paternal cousins to the mall though they usually end up ditching them to go off on their own much to the younger cousins dismay since they’re pretty close in age.

Likewise they also aren’t too tuned into the drama between their paternal uncle and their parents. They do enjoy spending time with their maternal cousins as well, thinking them to be very cool as they’re older but not as old as [name_f]Shantel[/name_f].

With their high school years approaching quickly both are eager to move into a more ‘mature’ state of life and are excited to see what new events and freedoms come with the development.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_u]Arden[/name_u] [name_f]Alina[/name_f] Westcole (16) is the older sister of Riaan’s sweetheart, and like [name_f]Shantel[/name_f], finds herself a bit exhausted at the intensity of the romance that exists between the couple. This has created a bit more of a stir in the Westcole household, as [name_u]Arden[/name_u] herself has a girlfriend, so her sister thinks it’s completely unreasonable for any critiques or judgement to be passed, in spite of the fact the siblings conduct their religion very differently [see: [name_u]Arden[/name_u] and her girlfriend not staying up on the phone til the early hours declaring their eternal love or leaving notes everywhere with very bold declarations of their feelings for one another]. Although she claims her reaction is from being sick and tired of the melodrama and incredibly sickly sweet nature of the couple’s dynamic, her secret - and stronger - sentiment is a concern for what will happen if they break-up, as her sister’s more sensitive than she let’s others know; a shared trait among the maternal side of their family.

Technically, [name_u]Arden[/name_u] and her sister are half-siblings: they live with their mom and see their dad’s on weekends, having both chosen to use her surname. For [name_u]Arden[/name_u] it’s not a slight towards her father by any means, she merely wants to remain connected to her maternal lineage, as her granny [mom’s mom] was a single mother in a time where she received nothing but scorn and ridicule, so paying tribute to her is very important; especially as she’s always been incredibly supportive of her granddaughters. As the older child, [name_u]Arden[/name_u] tends to be the one with a greater insight into their mom’s life too, specifically her job as a 911 dispatch operator [now a manager where she works], and can have a protective side, wanting to ensure she isn’t too overwhelming by the nature of her work. She’s got quite a direct manner, but her strong sense of humour disarms people, and her friends call [name_u]Arden[/name_u] ‘aggressively caring’.

The product of a one night stand - something she’s known since she was fourteen: a difficulty in the immediate aftermath, but now a blessing as it’s allowed her parents to develop a solid friendship - [name_u]Arden[/name_u] doesn’t have any paternal half-siblings as of yet, but does wonder if this may become a reality at some point. Her dad’s bisexual - just like her - and has been with his boyfriend for five years, to a point where [name_u]Arden[/name_u] sometimes wonders if they want to become parents together. Technically she has a pseudo stepbrother, from her dad’s partner, and there have been some rumours among family gatherings [namely her aunt, who’s a prolific gossip, something that amuses [name_u]Arden[/name_u] for the most part, as her dad’s sister-in-law almost exclusively deals in the outlandish and frivolous] he could be coming for an extended stay, thanks to arguments with his mother’s new husband. She is a bit anxious about this, more so meeting a new person and adjustments in the family dynamic, as people don’t always ‘get’ the way her parents conduct their friendship.

A member of her school’s Fashion and Design Society - ‘club’ isn’t a popular word, very immature the students of her school will have you know - Arden’s dream is to become a director within the industry. She loves composing outfits and has a huge wardrobe accumulated through her thrifty ways, having an eye for great pieces at reasonable prices; serving as a ‘style consultant’ for first date ensembles within her friend group. While she operates in organised chaos, [name_u]Arden[/name_u] always can tell when her sister’s borrowed something, and this has been their primary source of arguments: namely [name_u]Arden[/name_u] wanting to wear something and finding her sister has already taken it for the day. This has increased since [name_m]Riaan[/name_m] came into the picture - as [name_u]Arden[/name_u] knows her sister wants to impress the boy she’s so taken with - and their mom has now put a ban on impromptu borrowing, as she could tell her younger daughter had her eye on age inappropriate pieces of clothing. To try and cool off - as she knows she’s got a quick temper - Arden’s been spending a lot of time walking the family dog, keeshond [name_m]Jam[/name_m] [short for Jamerus Dodger III], who’s the darling of her friend group on account of how much he adores humans.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_m]Rewan[/name_m] [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] Berkovich [36] is a history and social studies teacher at Arden’s school, younger brother of Ewa’s husband and [name_m]Yaron[/name_m], twin to Ms. Berkovich, and uncle to a number of nieces and nephews. A bit of a troublemaker as a child he was known among the extended Berkovich family as ‘the rowdy one’ due to his penchant for blowing up at small things and taking minor exchanges very personally. He’s a bit of a stickler for perfection when it comes to his students but always tries to nurture their interests in the subjects he teaches above all else since he struggled a bit in school himself due to teachers who essentially refused to teach. He was always the one coming up short in his classes and ended up taking the blame instead of the aforementioned lazy educators and as an act of retaliation he ended up cussing out a few of them here and there, landing himself swiftly in detention. He managed to pull his grades around in college after meeting professors who actually wanted their students to learn and understand instead of just lecturing and collecting a paycheck which then spurred his interest in becoming a teacher himself.

He and his twin sister were basically attached at the hip for their childhoods, and even the majority of their adolescences despite running in different friend groups. But they always managed to have some time to get together, until she met her (now thankfully soon to be) husband just before college. He insisted on taking up all her time and focus as their relationship moved fast, the two of them where engaged within eighteen months and married within the year that followed. The real blow came with the announcement that she would be leaving the Jewish faith to practice with her husband. It wasn’t exactly a shock, her husband had always expressed his distaste for the family’s religious practices in what started as jokes but quickly became very real and disrespectful criticisms. Though the rest of the family begrudgingly accepted the change since they knew it wasn’t really much of their choice, [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] was furious, he felt the change was a personal affront and began a very cantankerous relationship with his sister. The wedge between them grew to the point were he didn’t even see his nieces for the first several years of their lives and [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] even distanced himself form the rest of the family, drowning himself in his work by tackling a master’s degree, until [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] all but dragged back into the fold and helped facilitate a reconciliation between the twins. Though he still wasn’t very fond of his brother-in-law they managed to patch things up for the sake of family.

Out of respect for his sister he tried to hide his relief over the news of her divorce and has done his best to support her through the proceedings and chaos especially since he knows that the kids are safe with their aunt and out of the way of the messy fighting between their parents. He is being kept at length by some degree though, his sister knows that if she lets him get too close to the whole thing there might just be blows exchanged between her brother and her ex-husband so she’s more so trying to keep him on the sidelines instead of in the middle of the action.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: controlling relationship, gaslighting, slander

[name_f]Liora[/name_f] [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] Berkovich, formerly Feldsted (36) is Rewan’s twin and recent divorcee, who’s in the process of recovering from her ex-husband and his cruelties. With a twin like [name_m]Rewan[/name_m], [name_f]Liora[/name_f] understandably was seen as the mellow one, not exactly true - she was very impulsive and constantly getting in trouble for talking in class - but it was an assumption many peddled throughout the school. Thanks to having three brothers [and technically being the youngest, as Rewan’s sixteen minutes older], [name_f]Liora[/name_f] never dated much during this time, a nightmare thanks to her tendency to be a hopeless romantic. She had lots of crushes, stemming from childhood when she proudly declared she wanted to marry her favourite actor on a show she and [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] loved; but dating scared her, almost as much as it did the boys who approached her, and it led to short, whirlwind relationships. The fact [name_f]Liora[/name_f] knew she wanted children too - and a lot of her classmates were aware, given how she excelled when they had to do the old fake baby assignment - made some guys assume she wanted it immediately, and finding someone like-minded proved a challenge, even as they all ostensibly matured.

In the beginning, Liora’s former husband seemed like a dream come true: he was considerate, thoughtful, witty and made her laugh constantly. While she didn’t always feel he understood her religion, it wasn’t something she held against him, feeling time would build the foundations of understanding. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be. As the months went by, he slowly started to exert more control over [name_f]Liora[/name_f]. It started with little comments critiquing how she’d come across meeting his family to actively trying to dictate what she would wear. He was such an accomplished manipulator that whenever [name_f]Liora[/name_f] stood up for herself and tried to take back autonomy, he’d quickly turn the argument on her, acting as if she was being unreasonable and overly hostile. While she didn’t exactly want to join the LDS church, he twisted her arm until she agreed, escalating his terrible behaviour and comments regarding Judaism until [name_f]Liora[/name_f] felt it was the only means of stopping the hostility: something that lasted for a short period, as it had become apparent her husband seemed to enjoy causing contention with her family [partly as it made isolating his wife easier].

However, his behaviour towards their daughters proved to be the breaking point for [name_f]Liora[/name_f]. When their eldest - who’s just turned eleven - got a main part in her ballet recital, something she’d worked incredibly hard for, his parents almost immediately began trying to tear this down. They implicitly favoured the son of their daughter - Liora’s sister-in-law - and the fact her husband, a man who was so critical, demanding and boorish where his wife was concerned, did bare minimum to stop this proved to be too much. He even attempted to gaslight her into thinking she was paranoid, but by this point [name_f]Liora[/name_f] recognised the signs of his behaviour. She only stayed long enough for her daughter to perform in the show, but had already contacted [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] and her eldest brother to make plans to leave [name_u]Utah[/name_u] and return to the town she grew up in; leaving just three days after with her daughters.

To say war broke out is not an understatement. Liora’s now ex-husband was absolutely furious she was gone, but more so that she’d taken their children, his favourite possessions. While he barely knew what the girls’ preferred dinner choices were - and no, it was not the vile meatloaf stew hybrid his mother insisted on bringing to every church gathering - getting them away from [name_f]Liora[/name_f] was precedent in his mind. It didn’t matter how anyone else was affected or upset, he had to make her suffer for having the audacity to leave him, and - even worse - return to her Jewish faith; an absolute humiliation where his church identity was concerned. When attempting to file for emergency custody he made up some truly outrageous, vile claims [including insinuating her brother’s had violent tendencies and that the Kowolski’s, Ewa’s family, were laundering money thanks to her brother being a successful dentist], which would not only see him decimated in court but liable for slander subsequently [and [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] is not opposed to going through with that suit].

Now, Liora’s trying her best to focus on starting afresh and getting back into what makes her happiest. She’s continued her job as an accountant - finishing her college degree actually, although this was a struggle with her husband making digs about not needing a wife who worked thanks to his family business - and is focused on her daughter’s more than anything. Sometimes she feels guilty taking up [name_m]Yaron[/name_m] and Maci’s space, although they wouldn’t have her anywhere else [as she’s still looking for a reasonably priced house that can accommodate her family, never mind the fact she’s avoiding anywhere too isolated in case her ex decides for a random visit and tries turning on his old charm]. Since she won in court - being granted primary custody and very good alimony - he’s slunk back to his parents, becoming very detached from their daughter’s and, daresay ironically, a picture of the deadbeat father stereotype he projected onto so many other men to win [name_f]Liora[/name_f] over in their youth.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_u]Alma[/name_u] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] Feldsted [9] and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] [name_f]Moselle[/name_f] Feldsted [9] are the twin daughters of [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and Mr. Feldsted and current residents of their aunt and uncle’s house after moving out of their childhood home in [name_u]Utah[/name_u] with their mother and older sister who is two years older than them who like them has a name that was featured in the Book of Mormon. Before all of their births baby names was a subject of great contention between their parents. [name_f]Liora[/name_f] wanted to pay tribute to her Jewish heritage since at the time she was no longer practicing the faith, however their father would not entertain the idea, at least not for first names, and instead insisted on names that had been used in the Book of Mormon. However a sort of compromise was reached on middle names (one of the only of their marriage) and [name_f]Liora[/name_f] was granted the ability to pick out names of Hebrew origin so long as they also honored a female relative of their father’s (of which there are many). [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] was picked out for [name_u]Alma[/name_u] after her great aunt [name_f]Beth[/name_f], and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] received [name_f]Moselle[/name_f] for her maternal grandmother ‘Ellie’ [name_f]Elle[/name_f].

They’re largely unaware of the toxicity that transpired in their parents’ marriage due to their age, [name_u]Alma[/name_u] especially since she’s somewhat of a daddy’s girl who see their father as somewhat of a hero and was the one most upset by the split, though girl’s trips with [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] have helped take her mind off of things for the most part. She’s also still in daily contact with her father through social media used on the iPad that the twins share, unknown to her mother. She’s not always very receptive of the things he says about her mother but still values his input on her day to day life.

Now living away from the LDS [name_m]Church[/name_m] and their father with his difficult family and closer to their mother’s family, they’ve been introduced to the Jewish faith and have been learning about the traditions and rituals, excitedly preparing to celebrate Hannukah for the first time with their cousins. [name_u]Alma[/name_u] still has some reservations about the shift in faithful practice, she’s been confiding in her father via their messages about the uncertainty which unfortunately he’s planning on using as ammo to further dig up trouble on the custody arrangement unbeknownst to the young girl.

[name_f]Sariah[/name_f] on the other hand has been taking the move much better, she finds the change exciting and has been adjusting well. She’s the more rough and tumble of the three girls, preferring soccer instead of dance like her sisters. This was something that was a bit of an issue in the eyes of her paternal side of the family who felt it a little unbecoming of a young lady to enjoy athletics over more traditionally feminine things, for a few years she was convinced to try out dance but found she was much more coordinated out on the turf rather than in the dance studio. [name_f]Liora[/name_f] eventually pulled her out and placed her back into soccer much to her husband’s upset but taking the heat off of her daughter by taking on the responsibility of the decision was something she was happy to do.

Due to the conflict between [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] they didn’t meet him until they were nearly a year old and their sister was three but later on he would become a beloved relative of theirs. Though he usually had to sort of ‘calibrate’ his personality to be around them so as not to stir up any trouble. They get along well with the other Berkovich cousins too. They also sort of enjoy time with their paternal cousins but find the family that comes with that side of the family to be too intense for their preferences. Their treatment of their sister was something that the empathetic young girls took pretty harshly on her behalf. [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] herself in particular since she’s the more fiery of the twins, seemingly taking after her mother’s twin in some ways though hopefully a little more of their mother’s control will develop as she ages.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Galilee[/name_f] [name_f]Tamar[/name_f] Feldsted (11) is the older sister of [name_u]Alma[/name_u] and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f]. There was less of a fight on the behalf of Galilee’s father when naming her, as his worst side was still being held back slightly - not to mention [name_f]Tamar[/name_f] is Galilee’s great-grandmother, who was adored by her mother and uncles when they were growing up. She’s undeniably always been the closest of the three with their mom, having quite a similar personality to her, especially in how much she loves the romantic elements of ballet stories, something [name_f]Liora[/name_f] encouraged (albeit with a somewhat more cynical edge as she came to understand her husband more, while keeping her daughter appropriately shielded).

Being older means [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] was a little more clued into the terrible behaviour their father perpetrated, strengthened by his nonexistent backbone when she was being pitted against her cousin of the same age - the very one who was used in an attempt to discredit her ballet accomplishment. She had a much more distant relationship with her grandparents for this exact reason, and had built up personal resentment towards her dad for how he never made an effort to stop the comparisons, where she was always painted as inferior. Engaging with her Jewish heritage and maternal family has been a much more positive process for [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] because of this toxicity perpetuated by them, however she can’t help but sometimes wonder if her dad was in her shoes growing up, and that’s why he always seems so eager to side with his parents, as if it’ll win retrospective brownie points.

In Galilee’s eyes, the twins and [name_f]Shantel[/name_f] are ridiculously cool, never mind [name_f]Avielle[/name_f] who’s in a band and knows artists who wholeheartedly endorse self-expression. She’s been even more dedicated to dance since getting away from her critical relatives and has landed another leading role, something [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] is incredibly proud of, although it did take some pleading from [name_u]Alma[/name_u] to allow their dad to know this when he called - and [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] pretty quickly knew he was feigning interest, as she’s come to recognise the signs of when he wants to win her favour, something he did frequently when [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] was growing up and upset at how he never defended her when she was unfairly scrutinised.

Aside from being her greatest passion, ballet provides a much needed escape for [name_f]Galilee[/name_f], and the fact she’s managed to already make new friends has helped with her confidence. While she’s never been a shy or retiring personality type, her confidence could be forced thanks to the way she was treated, whereas now it’s genuinely a product of her achievements and the positivity of the family she’s surrounded by.

[kitkatcookie]

Casek Nathan Berkovich (40) is the final uncle of the Feldsted sisters’, husband of Ewa and father of three himself. As many eldest siblings are prone to do, Casek often found himself worrying in some capacity where his brothers’ and sister were concerned; sometimes more so than their parents outwardly expressed. He always knows when something’s up, even if it’s unspoken, and while Yaron dealt with the fallout of a situation, Casek was always the one to perform crisis control preemptively. This has continued into how he handles fatherhood: Casek just has a sixth sense for when his younger kids [one’s eleven, the other eight] are on the verge of conflict over something petty - usually a nonsensical issue as far as their parents are concerned - and quickly ensures he’s able to speak to them both before any scrapping begins. They love one another dearly, but Avielle’s blatantly the one of the trio they both have the easiest relationship with, as her being older than both of them means she’s not as into the same things as them, so there’s less chances of a clash. What the kids can agree on though is he’s most definitely not an embarrassing dad, an honourable title Casek ensures is upheld through school events and band practices within the home.

Running his own ethical business is something he’s surprisingly ideal for, given his nervousness throughout childhood. While personal matters can overwhelm Casek at times - thanks to how much it pains him to see his loved one’s troubled - he’s very adept at handling any kind of work based stressed, be it employee drama [usually about dating] or customers deciding to unleash their inner Karen. He has a zero tolerance policy for any kind of verbal abuse - you don’t get fist fights in shoe shops thankfully - and will stand by his employees unless they’re truly in the wrong [which has only happened a handful of times, the majority of which being honest mistakes]. Jokes of nepotism aside too, Casek’s always clear that if any of his nieces, nephews or noans [the term the family have adapted for non-binary members] - both from his siblings or Ewa’s - want work experience or a more permanent job at the shop, he’s happy to take them on; although not at the expense of existing staff. Ensuring that everyone’s well treated is extremely important to Casek, and he goes above and beyond given how it feels hypocritical running an ethical business but operating as a tyrant: something he encountered on his work placement experience in high school.

It was Casek who got Liora in contact with her lawyer, someone he’s known from college, albeit they’re more friendly acquaintances who have mutual friends - and her daughter belongs to the music scene alongside Avielle. He’s done his best to support his sister throughout this difficult time, while ensuring tempers aren’t flared, although this has proved especially tricky for Casek as Ewa’s family have been dragged into things thanks to the words of Mr. Feldsted; something he knows was purely done out of spite, as he always seemed to have an inferiority complex when hearing about Ewa’s brother. Thanks to Galilee and his middle child being the same age, they’ve been spending a lot more time together recently, and he lets his nieces sleepover whenever they want, so Yaron, Maci and their kids get some space if required. Given his emotional investment, Casek has taken a step back from the legal element of the family conflict - he doesn’t know if he could refrain from firing back, thanks to how much his wife and her family mean to him - but this has given him more time to convince Rewan to step back slightly from his workaholic tendencies and actually engage in socialising once more. While he admires his brother’s dedication and knows the students greatly benefit from his work ethic, he doesn’t want to see Rewan deny himself more relaxing forms of contentment.

One of Casek’s longest serving employees - his general manager actually, who looks after the store when he and Ewa are on holiday or preoccupied with other matters - is rumoured to have a crush on his brother, but it’s much more Maci’s style to play matchmaker, and it’s not like she knows of this…right?

---

Ewa belongs to yours truly

[jinxed_peach]

tw: toxic relationship, generally unlikeable character

[name_m]Aleksander[/name_m] ‘Alek’ [name_u]Brighton[/name_u] Feldsted [37] is Casek’s former brother-in-law, ex-husband of [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and father of their three daughters [name_f]Galilee[/name_f], [name_u]Alma[/name_u], and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f]. He’s also one of many siblings as his family is pretty much a stereotypical Mormon family with multiple children, many of which also have large families of their own. [name_m]Born[/name_m] and raised in Salt [name_u]Lake[/name_u] he was instilled with very conservative values from his parents as he grew up, they told him about how he needed to get a good job and marry a woman who would be subservient and stay home with their children and he pretty much followed that advice to the letter. He and [name_f]Liora[/name_f] met during the summer after her and [name_m]Rewan[/name_m] graduated from high school and [name_u]Alek[/name_u] was a freshman in college visiting their hometown to see a cousin of his graduate from the same school the Berkovichs attended. They hit it off pretty quickly as [name_u]Alex[/name_u] was pretty charming and a stereotypical gentleman at first, giving [name_f]Liora[/name_f] that feeling she only saw in romantic comedies. He shared her hopeless romantic tendencies as well since he had very few relationships like her and shared the same desire of wanting children from a young age. He was going to be in town for a few more weeks to stay with family so they were able to continue seeing each other and the two had a nearly picture perfect relationship at the beginning.

As time went on he began to become more controlling once he felt as if he had her trust and commitment. He was able to persuade her to start visiting him back home in [name_u]Utah[/name_u] while he was at college and eventually convinced her to take a gap year and live with him instead of going to college. Later proposing in a very cliché way to continue the theme of their stereotypical romance with hundreds of roses and candles in their apartment and a cheesy mylar balloon that said ‘I love you’ on it. The planning of their wedding went mostly to his mother under the guise of ‘taking the pressure off of [name_f]Liora[/name_f] so she could enjoy being a bride’ instead of the real reason which was really that she couldn’t stand to give up that control to her future daughter-in-law. As neither [name_u]Alek[/name_u] nor his family were particularly subtle about their dislike of Liora’s Jewish faith they took all her requests for Jewish wedding traditions to be incorporated into their wedding with a ‘we’ll see’ and of course when the day came all traces of any of that heritage had been scrubbed from the ceremony. Though both families seemed to have a good time with Liora’s family assuming that the lack of their Jewish faith in the wedding was her preference and the Feldsteds having recived exactly what they wanted.

[name_f]Liora[/name_f] was pregnant not too long after their marriage began and while excited it gave her further reason to not attend college, an internal struggle that she felt conflicted about but did not dare discuss with [name_u]Alek[/name_u] knowing that he would not be receptive of the idea. Though they were excited about the upcoming birth. It was during her pregnancy with [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] that she made the official choice to convert to the Mormon faith as [name_u]Alek[/name_u] insisted that their child would be as well and that to be the odd one would be strange as well as potentially harmful to their child. She felt she had no choice but to conform to his wishes and it had been so long since she had been able to partake in any Jewish religious practices since she and [name_u]Alek[/name_u] had been together anyway so she reasoned that it wouldn’t be much of a change anyways.

Another conflict arose during her first pregnancy as well, Alek’s mother was adamant about being in the delivery room during the birth. [name_f]Liora[/name_f] was very opposed to the idea and wanted it to just be her and [name_u]Alek[/name_u] (in truth she wanted her own mother present but had given up on that idea since [name_u]Alek[/name_u] degraded her for ‘wanting her to come all that way’ and deemed the idea unrealistic) and attempted to voice this concern. She was met with the same unsurpassable reasoning that always came in response to her ideas. [name_u]Alek[/name_u] insisted that it would be better for them both if his mother was there which made [name_f]Liora[/name_f] feel silly for ever feeling otherwise. At Galilee’s birth Alek’s mother was in fact present, and she held the baby girl much longer than [name_f]Liora[/name_f] was able to. [name_f]Liora[/name_f] couldn’t help but feel violated in some way, but being exhausted from a nineteen hour labor and deliver convinced her to keep her mouth shut. Much to Alek’s pleasure.

Having a new baby at home helped [name_u]Alek[/name_u] further cement his control over [name_f]Liora[/name_f] since they were now bound by blood in addition to marriage which he considered to be the final key to keeping her obedient to him. He was often not home to help raise their daughter as he was working and would criticize [name_f]Liora[/name_f] for asking him to be home more often by reasoning that he was providing for her and [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] and that to take time off would be actively harming their family. Making her feel like she was the one in the wrong was a frequent tactic to disarm [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and her worries. For the first few years she was effectively a single mother, managing their home and their child by herself. Since they lived out in [name_u]Utah[/name_u] she was also a fish out of water and due to being a convert made her somewhat of a pariah in the eyes of the other mothers in the area. Becoming pregnant with the twins did not make things easier as it was not a smooth pregnancy like her first, though they didn’t start that way. They found out that the girls were identical and shared a placenta which is usually not a problem, but sometime twins sharing a placenta can lead to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome which is when the babies draw unequal amounts of the placenta’s blood supply and therefore grow at different rates. This is what happened with [name_u]Alma[/name_u] and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] with [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] being the more underdeveloped twin of the two. Thankfully their state of TTTS was not severe but [name_f]Liora[/name_f] was prescribed rest. Frustrated at having to actually parent his child while his wife recovered lead to [name_u]Alek[/name_u] being hostile around the home, at one point even placing the blame for the twins’ issues on [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and accusing her of being an inept mother since according to him, she could hardly take care of their children while she was still carrying them. After [name_u]Alma[/name_u] and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] were born they thankfully both recovered and were healthy babies otherwise with [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] eventually catching up in development in the first few months of their lives.

The medical scare with the twins lead [name_f]Liora[/name_f] to want to stop, or at the very least hold off, on having anymore children which [name_u]Alek[/name_u] considered a ridiculous notion, regarding what happened with the [name_u]Alma[/name_u] and [name_f]Sariah[/name_f] a ‘fluke’ that would not happen again. Once again his mother even stepped into the discussion by insisting that it was her job to provide her husband with children. Feeling cornered again [name_f]Liora[/name_f] eventually promised that she would ‘think about it’ in the future.’ Their attempts to conceive again in the following years were fruitless, something that [name_f]Liora[/name_f] now realizes was likely due to stress from her unhappy marriage. [name_u]Alek[/name_u] being as devoutly religious as he was took the situation to be a sign from [name_m]God[/name_m] that they should be grateful for their three children and not press their luck. Thus leading to them stopping at the three girls.

When his parents started degrading [name_f]Galilee[/name_f] about her achievements he didn’t put much effort into stopping it. In truth he didn’t blame them for preferring his nephew, he himself was actually envious of his sister for having a son. Something that he wasn’t exactly always subtle about anyways. [name_f]Liora[/name_f] had always picked up on this, and when she tried to call him out on it he would instead turn it around on her and accuse her of not loving their children as they were, making her feel even more paranoid and isolated.

He returned home from work to find a Dear [name_u]John[/name_u] letter on the kitchen table from his wife, though it was purposefully vague about where she went since she feared they would come after her and the kids. He called the police to report her having taken his children without his consent but was rebuffed by the police since he didn’t have reason to believe that the children were in danger. He was served divorce papers soon after which was when he began his slander campaign against [name_f]Liora[/name_f] and her family. While his first few attempts did not regard any meaningful result now armed with the messages from [name_u]Alma[/name_u] he plans to contact another lawyer and try again to regain at least partial custody of his children.