Create a Family With a Twist 💖

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Eller[/name_f] [name_u]Mattie[/name_u] Carpenter (2) is Brooks’s little sister and Aspen’s daughter. [name_f]Eller[/name_f] likes to scribble a lot. Is it drawing or writing she’s trying to do? Who knows? She also dreams of being a little ninja or mermaid someday. She’s already into karate and swimming, which she likes for the sake of energy, and enjoys adrenaline. [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] took these before but he’s better situated where he is and he likes [name_u]Aspen[/name_u] keeping them away from the mothers who keep boasting about their kids being “better than anyone else”. [name_f]Eller[/name_f] thinks [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] Delawise is the coolest girl she’s seen around town, even though she doesn’t know [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] likes her cousin [name_u]Hudson[/name_u]. [name_f]Eller[/name_f] is also close with paternal cousins, having one her own age, but also wouldn’t mind another sibling. She doesn’t crave this as much as [name_u]Brooks[/name_u], although since she’s not the youngest person of her family generation, there’s a baby on the paternal side who [name_f]Eller[/name_f] sees as a tiny sibling anyway.

[name_f]Eller[/name_f] doesn’t quite understand why [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] doesn’t hang around the maternal side of the family as much. She herself is preoccupied at times with the paternal side, but she seems [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] is embarrassed about something. [name_f]Eller[/name_f] keeps reassuring that [name_f]Kinley[/name_f] and [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] aren’t going to cut [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] out of their lives forever. Still, she doesn’t quite know the touchy subject about jail herself since she’s kept away due to worries she could make similar comments. Jail scares [name_f]Eller[/name_f] and she knows not to do bad things as a kid because she fears she could carry that into adulthood and go to jail. She doesn’t quite understand that jail is for crimes, not just bad things in general and truly…she doesn’t know what happens after prison time is over.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] Straus (18) is the primary babysitter of [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] and [name_f]Eller[/name_f], with the younger of the duo always being delighted to hear the similarity between [name_f]Eller[/name_f] and [name_f]Ellen[/name_f]. Her tenure as the go-to choice for the Carpenter’s started two years ago, when [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] began babysitting for some extra cash so she wouldn’t just have to window shop at the local mall. The Straus family have lived on the same street as the Carpenter’s since [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] was 14, however she had to grow a little in confidence - never mind experience - before asking if they’d be comfortable with her as a sitter.

As the eldest of four kids, being the voice of reason is something [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] knows well, and really it doesn’t phase her anymore. She has 11-year-old brothers - fraternal twins - and a non-binary sibling who’s just turned 15, being the first of the family to know about her sibling closer in ages’ gender identity, which she absolutely supported. [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] herself came out as bi when she was 15, and she’s just celebrated her third anniversary with her girlfriend, who she met through them both being regulars at the local swimming pool.

[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] actually swims competitively, and got offered her college scholarship because of her prowess in the water, but she’s chosen to take a gap year before moving away to study. The time just doesn’t feel right for her, and her mom in particular has always made it clear to her children that if they’re not ready, nothing should pressure them into going into a situation they won’t feel comfortable in. Part of being the oldest is why [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] struggled though, as she does know on a subconscious level she wants to set a positive example to her siblings, and she worried that her own hesitance could impact their confidence - something her parents have thankfully assured her isn’t true in the slightest.

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@SummerParadise
@Era_Laine
@TheDogLover
@lilac_elixirxx
@wandering_willow
@szinkle
@ElisabethJulie

[SummerParadise]

[name_m]Image[/name_m] by Freepik

Tw: depression, transphobia
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Emerson[/name_u] Straus (15) is Lydia’s non-binary sibling. They struggle with depression, partly due to some of their former friends refusing to accept their identity, but they are growing in confidence with the support of their family and their school LGBT+ club. They make their own music, with an eclectic range of elements from pop to metal, and also enjoy horseback riding and hiking.

[jinxed_peach]

cw: homophobia, unethical medical practices

[name_f]Idalis[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Ida[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Mauve[/name_f] Frees [15] is a close friend of [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], one who’s stayed by them despite some of their other friends ditching them as a result of not understanding their identity. [name_f]Ida[/name_f] is a bit used to feeling outcast and othered, growing up she had her fair share of ignorant people saying rude things to her face. You see, [name_f]Ida[/name_f] has two moms. Not having a dad has been totally normal to her, she’s never known it any other way. Some people don’t think it’s right for two women to raise a baby without a ‘strong male presence’ in her life, which people especially brought up when her moms welcomed her baby brother nine years ago. [name_f]Ida[/name_f] has learned to let the rude things people say slide off her back like water off a duck. It doesn’t bother her anymore, besides she’s got bigger things to focus on now.

Being a child of two moms, [name_f]Ida[/name_f] always knew that she was conceived via sperm donation ever since she was old enough to know how babies are made. What she didn’t know until recently, after she got some results back from her 23&Me test, was that she actually has over one hundred half-siblings from her donor dad. It was overwhelming, and a bit scary to learn, she kinda had a panic attack about it. Thankfully her moms, and a few particularly lovely siblings, helped her cope through all the new info. They also taught her about how exactly this happened.

It turns out, when someone decides to donate sperm to a large sperm bank each donation will be split up to be sold to as many families as possible. Most banks have a family limit (how many families each sample can be sold to) of around fifty families. However, due to the fact that these limits are only tracked by parents self-reporting their children’s births. In Ida’s case, her birth was never reported to the bank her moms used because they were too busy and tried taking care of their newborn. The bank never followed up with them either. So what this means is that by the time a particular donor sample reaches the family limit, there may be any number of other children born who were conceived by the same donor that aren’t being tracked, meaning they may be past the fifty, or however many, family limit by the time they pull the sample. There’s also the matter of how banks don’t communicate with one another about who’s donating to them, so someone who’s reached their limit at one bank can go to another one and lie about having donated before, which is easy to do considering the lack of mandated background, or even genetic, tests.

Hearing all of this was a lot to digest for [name_f]Ida[/name_f], she was so used to her small life in her small town. Used to having her only sibling be her brother, who was also conceived with the same donor as [name_f]Ida[/name_f] (One of their moms carried [name_f]Ida[/name_f] and one of them carried her brother.) Not only did she have many more siblings, some of them were even a half hour or less away from her. One of her classmates was even one of them. She’s still processing this info day by day, and she knows it’s gonna be a long time before she’s really feeling like she’s got a handle on things. But for now, she’s just glad to have a good friend like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] by her side through all this craziness.

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this character was inspired by several real issues in the American sperm donation industry. check out laurahigh5 on youtube for more info! it’s fascinating how little effort this country puts into an industry that literally creates lives

[I.have.no.idea]

Ellery Caspian Frees (6) is Ida’s younger brother. Ellery is a very affectionate and thoughtful kid who often gives his friends and family small gifts that he found on walks in the woods. Ellery likes running around the hills near his house and making mud pies with his neighbor Olly. Ellery’s moms encourage his creativity even if it means that they need to do laundry a bit more, they recently went on a trip to Scotland (where Ellery’s photo was taken) with their extended family and made sure to go to places where Ellery could explore. Other than his love for the outdoors Ellery really likes astronomy and likes stargazing on clear nights and finding constellations. He is able to name all of the moon phases and all the planets in order.

Although Ellery isn’t totally oblivious to the fact that his family is different though he doesn’t really care as long as his moms are able to love him and give him the care he needs. No one has told him something directly and his sister tries to protect him from some of the harsh comments she has received. Ellery knows that he was conceived via sperm donation but doesn’t really know what that means, recently he has heard Ida and his moms talking about the fact that Ida and Ellery have 100 half siblings but he also isn’t sure what that has to do with anything. That’s one of the problems Ellery has being so much younger than the rest of the family is that nobody cares to explain things to him in simple terms and the expect him to know what they’re talking about immediately.

———————-——————-——————-——————-——————-
Olly was created by @I_meme_it

[olivelovesnames]

[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Leah[/name_f] Wassell (16) is the half-sibling of [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f], as well as one of the only ones who actually knows them and keeps in touch. [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] are actually pretty good friends and even though they live about two hours away from each other, they make plans to see each other often and their parents encourage them to create these bonds. Caroline’s father isn’t able to have children, but he and his wife always wanted kids, and they have three now, [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and her two younger siblings. Caroline’s siblings were adopted and she was her mother’s only pregnancy.

[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] was not as overwhelmed as [name_f]Ida[/name_f] was when she found out how many siblings she had. Her parents had known this for years - and told [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] this when she was only 8. At the time, [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] thought this was so cool, and bragged to all her friends that she had “a million siblings”. Over the years, she has matured and realized what this actually means, but she keeps in touch with 5 of the siblings, two of them being [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f].

[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] has been studying up on the sciences and technology of surrogacy and sperm donors. She has been learning a lot from her father, who works in this field. She finds it interesting but not interesting enough to be a career in the future. She would much rather do something that has to do with art. [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] is a very artistic, athletic, and fun person. She also isn’t one of those people to bully her siblings. They are much younger than her, ages 10 and 7. She always includes the two of them and her friends think they’re adorable, so no one cares if they tag along!

[SummerParadise]

Image by karlyukav on Freepik

tw: parental death, racism
[name_u]Quentin[/name_u] [name_m]Stewart[/name_m] Wassell (7) is Caroline’s youngest brother. He was adopted several years ago after his biological parents died in an accident. He has received comments from classmates saying he is not a “real” member of his family because he is adopted and [name_m]Black[/name_m]. But he is an outgoing and confident kid who does well in school, especially math, and enjoys playing video games.

[I.have.no.idea]

[name_f]Ida[/name_f] [name_u]Reece[/name_u] Waddell (10) is [name_u]Quentin[/name_u] and Caroline’s sister. [name_f]Ida[/name_f] is a very cheerful and eccentric tween and has a bunch of collections she is working on all at once. Her most favorite one is a vintage beanie baby collection she has been working on for years. [name_f]Ida[/name_f] also enjoys thrifting at her moms thrift shop, since most of her collections are of vintage things her mom often saves items for her, one of Ida’s favorite recent finds is a vintage Beatles poster. She also really enjoys swimming and has recently made the towns highly regarded swim team with her best friend (one of Caroline’s friends sister) after having tried out thrice.

[name_f]Ida[/name_f] was adopted from [name_f]Russia[/name_f] when she has only a few months old, no one really knows anything about Ida’s biological family as they just left her on the orphanage age steps with a note. When she is older [name_f]Ida[/name_f] would be curious to do an dna test and find some of her biological relatives but for now she is happy with her familial bubble.

[ElisabethJulie]

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m] (10), often called “Soph,” is Ida’s best friend and a bubbly companion in their adventures. [name_m]Born[/name_m] and raised in the U.S., [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is part of a tight-knit family and lives with her biological parents. Her friendly nature and positive energy make her an ideal friend for [name_f]Ida[/name_f].

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is known for her warm and welcoming personality. She effortlessly makes friends and is liked by both peers and adults in the community.

As Ida’s best friend, [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is incredibly loyal and supportive. She encourages [name_f]Ida[/name_f] in her various collections and activities, always ready to lend a helping hand.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] shares Ida’s love for adventure and trying new things. Whether it’s exploring thrift shops, joining the swim team, or embarking on imaginative escapades, they’re partners in crime.

Both girls found a shared passion for swimming, leading them to join the town’s swim team together. Sophie’s determination and encouragement help create a positive environment for both of them in the competitive realm of swimming.

Sophie’s strong family values are evident in her close relationship with her parents. She often shares stories about family outings and traditions, contributing to the rich tapestry of her friendship with [name_f]Ida[/name_f].

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] loves accompanying [name_f]Ida[/name_f] on thrift shopping adventures, and together they discover hidden gems and treasures. [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] might not have collections like [name_f]Ida[/name_f], but she appreciates the stories and history behind each vintage find.

The thrill of making the town’s swim team is a shared achievement. [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] support each other during practices and competitions, celebrating victories and consoling each other during setbacks.

Both girls engage in creative projects, sometimes collaborating on arts and crafts. Whether it’s crafting DIY projects or expressing themselves through various artistic mediums, their friendship is a canvas of shared creativity.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] comes from a loving family, where family dinners and weekend activities are cherished traditions. While she might not have experienced adoption, [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is sensitive and supportive when it comes to Ida’s unique family background, understanding the importance of fostering a sense of belonging.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] dreams of becoming an architect. She loves sketching and designing imaginative structures, often sharing her sketches with [name_f]Ida[/name_f] during their after-school hangouts.

[I.have.no.idea]

[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Susanne[/name_f] [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m] (16) is Soph’s older sister and the eldest out of the three [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m] siblings. [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] is very sweet and a girls girl. She really like taking care of her siblings and is starting to teach [name_f]Soph[/name_f] about makeup and skincare. She enjoys their company and brought them to see wonka. [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] is also the eldest cousin and sometimes feels very pressured to be “perfect” and set the example for the rest of her siblings and cousins, especially considering her middle name was chosen to honor her great grandmother who passed away when her mom was pregnant who was a very successful business woman and made the family financially successful.

[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] enjoys sailing in the summer and has worked as a sailing instructor for a few years now at her yacht club. She doesn’t really enjoy competitive sailing and just loves the feeling of just being alone with her own thoughts. She loves the feeling of just gliding on the water, it helps her escape her problems. [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] also occasionally plays tennis with her mom who really enjoys it. In the winter [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] tutors middle schoolers which she finds a humbling experience: some of them have no filter.

At school [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] is definitely considered one of the nicer popular girls. She has many close friends and a best friend since fourth grade. She also has a boyfriend who is a family friend, they have been dating since eighth grade and consider each other soulmates. Audrey’s siblings like him a lot and don’t mind him hanging around the house.

[olivelovesnames]

[name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] Billingsly (16) is Audrey’s best friend since 4th grade. [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] and [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] met when [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] moved from Michigan, and they clicked instantly. [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] had never had such a close friend before, and she could never imagine not being friends with [name_f]Audrey[/name_f]. She also loves [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and Audrey’s other siblings, who she has actually babysat once or twice. She also knows [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] Wassell through their school and has babysat [name_u]Quentin[/name_u] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] a few times as well.

Ashlyn’s parents are divorced and her father still lives in Michigan. [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] goes back there for the summer and every other winter break, and she loves it there, to say the least. She is an only child but has 3 step-siblings who belong to her dad and his new wife, and a half sister who belongs to her mom and mom’s boyfriend. So while she’s the only one of her siblings who doesn’t live with them full time, she likes being an older sister of sorts to the kids who have joined her family. She also still has friends in Michigan, and summers are always awesome there. Plus, she and a boy she’s known since kindergarten (who lives in Michigan), recently started dating, and [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] is so excited to see him again this summer.

[mynameis1]

[name_u]Miles[/name_u] [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] O’Hara (16) is Ashlyn’s boyfriend who lives in Michigan. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] has known [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] since he was in kindergarten but he has had a crush on her since they were in 6th grade. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] has always been known to be incredibly shy and introverted so it was hard for him to confess his feelings for [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] but once he finally did- albeit through many stuttering words and failed attempts, he actually felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders, especially when [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f] didn’t reject him and they actually started to date.

Like [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f], Miles’s parents are also divorced but [name_u]Miles[/name_u] only has one sibling- a sister who is a year older than him. His mother and father were actually married for most of his life and didn’t divorce until fairly recently, as it was just last year. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] wasn’t very happy about the divorce because to him he thought his parents were always happy with being together. It came a little bit as a shock to him and somewhat to his sister as well, although she expected it maybe a little bit more. Looking back, [name_u]Miles[/name_u] can see that towards the end of the time before his parents got divorced, they were actually fighting quite a lot. They had tried to keep it away from their children, but being that they were both older and in their teenage years, they knew. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] didn’t think they were actually having serious problems however, and just kind of thought they were going through a rough patch, as married couples are known to do. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] and his sister now live with his father while his mother lives 30 minutes away, but they don’t see her much due to how messy the divorce was.

Like said before, [name_u]Miles[/name_u] has always been very shy and introverted and doesn’t really talk to people that much. He knows how to program and he is currently trying to learn how to code his own video game. He isn’t very skilled yet but he is determined to learn by the end of the [name_u]New[/name_u] Year, it now being his [name_u]New[/name_u] Years resolution. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] spends a lot of time in his room or on the phone with [name_f]Ashlyn[/name_f], as he doesn’t want to be around his dad too much. His dad has gotten angrier and drinks a lot since the divorce, and refuses to talk about it. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] knows his father is hurt by his mother’s actions, as she had an affair with a guy from her work. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] tries to avoid his dad and sister and keeps to himself, not wanting to be bothered amidst all the chaos currently going on in his life.

[I.have.no.idea]

TW: brief mention of drugs and alcohol

[name_f]Talia[/name_f] [name_f]Emily[/name_f] O’Hara (17) is [name_u]Miles[/name_u] older sister. [name_f]Talia[/name_f] has a very sweet and funny personality. She doesn’t have a great relationship with anyone in the family and is looking forward to hopefully going to UCLA to reunite with her long distance boyfriend. She does feel bad that [name_u]Miles[/name_u] will have to go through their parents antics alone but she honestly doesn’t care. When they were younger [name_f]Talia[/name_f] often felt that she needed to protect [name_u]Miles[/name_u] from the fighting. [name_f]Talia[/name_f] hates both her parents in different ways and is pretty much financially independent since she started working at the Fro-Yo shop. She knows that her parents won’t pitch in to paying for college and that she will have to take out loans which she is something she is dreading.

[name_f]Talia[/name_f] doesn’t really have much free time between working and studying for tests but is very artistic. She is on yearbook and is working with another girl on the cover. [name_f]Talia[/name_f] has a few close friends and is part of a pretty sizable group that are in the upper middle of the school’s popularity scale. They are one of the only other groups that don’t do drugs or alcohol. The school is notable for having a notable drug market and having misbehaving student. [name_f]Talia[/name_f] avoids going to parties for this reason and prefers to lay down low.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for aforementioned alcohol abuse and cheating.

[name_u]Nelly[/name_u] [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] O’Hara (38) is [name_f]Talia[/name_f] and Miles’s paternal aunt who’s tried to get into Talia’s life but also understands she needs space. She gets that [name_f]Talia[/name_f] doesn’t want any associations but she feels for [name_u]Miles[/name_u] and refuses to let [name_f]Talia[/name_f] take anger on him. She didn’t support the school [name_f]Talia[/name_f] went to given the bad influences but [name_f]Talia[/name_f] reassured [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] she felt safe there. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] told [name_f]Talia[/name_f] to seek her out if anyone bullies her, but since she never knew about the drugs or alcohol, she didn’t mention it. So [name_f]Talia[/name_f] didn’t seek her out. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] is trying her best in terms of helping her brother, who she knew deserved better than his cheating wife. She doesn’t want to lose her relationship with him but she’s adamant about him to “lose the booze”. She feels [name_u]Miles[/name_u] in terms of [name_u]New[/name_u] Year’s resolutions and knows they’re meant for the whole year, not given up as soon as they’re broken the first time. Nelly’s [name_u]New[/name_u] Years Resolution is to spend more time outside, being that she works so much indoors. She still promises more for her family, even if it’s not a [name_u]New[/name_u] Years Resolution, since most takes longer than a year. [name_u]New[/name_u] Years is a good time for her but admittedly, this is the first [name_u]New[/name_u] Years in over a decade that she’s actually stayed up for midnight! [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] is a very tight-knit person who doesn’t want anyone she loves leaving her life but she’s completely understanding that the divorced couple is never back together - and shouldn’t be. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] herself is a single mother by choice to her 10-year-old daughter and knows what it’s like to have a protective side, so despite her contrast with [name_f]Talia[/name_f], she relates to her. She feels [name_f]Talia[/name_f] didn’t have to be protective of [name_u]Miles[/name_u] and that she would have helped them both. She just feels the way [name_f]Talia[/name_f] was so protective of [name_u]Miles[/name_u] followed by her not caring and leaving him just feels like betrayal. But [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] gets that [name_f]Talia[/name_f] does feel bad about that.

As much as [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] wants to shout, “Your mother is a cheater and that’s why your father was arguing with her and divorced her!” she wouldn’t say that. In fact, she feels their mother should own up to that herself if anyone were to do it. She has told her daughter, niece, and nephew never to cheat should they get into a relationship, which none of them quite understood her adamancy given she was happily single. Nelly’s daughter is unsurprisingly single but she’s semi-aware of her niece and nephew being in relationships. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] is rather successful herself, working with the same business the [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m] sisters’ mother works for. She’s preoccupied with her daughter when she’s home and she ironically used to let her brother babysit her a lot but sadly made the decision to stop when he was on the alcohol. She knows he isn’t quite an alcoholic yet and she’s going to do anything to get him out before he gets in. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] admits she was mildly addicted to caffeine at one point, which doesn’t feel like much, but she feels bad that it happened so soon after the birth of her daughter. She needed it to be alert given how exhausted she was during the first year of her daughter’s existence. However it was making her grumpy and ruining her sleep even more, so she got off all the caffeine to help her health. [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] feels her brother’s alcohol is a temporary fix but she’s trying her best to get him to find other ways to cope for the sake of him. After all, she can’t leave her brother behind. In terms of Talia’s college tuition, she’s hoping to help pay for it, but only if she ends her grudge against [name_u]Miles[/name_u]. She doesn’t have to be parentified, she just has to be supportive.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Alfrida[/name_f] " [name_f]Frida[/name_f] " [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] O’Hara (10) is Nelly’s daughter and cousin to [name_f]Talia[/name_f] and [name_u]Miles[/name_u], who’s become more aware of the chaos surrounding her uncle’s family as she’s grown up. Being raised by a single mother has strengthened Frida’s belief in loyalty, and she’s extremely grateful that when her dad walked away, he stayed gone. [name_u]Miles[/name_u] once asked her why she hasn’t gone looking for him, but the disappointment it’ll likely entail is something [name_f]Frida[/name_f] doesn’t want to encounter, so she prefers to remain with those she knows will love and be there for her; non-blood relatives included, such as Nelly’s best friend who she considers an aunt [more so than [name_u]Miles[/name_u] and Talia’s mother honestly].

Although socially introverted, Frida’s strong willed in her own way, especially when it comes to self-expression. She writes a lot of poetry and short stories, working away at a longer novel in the meantime, but it is frustrating for [name_f]Frida[/name_f] that it’s still under construction, as she has an impatient side - a remaining quality of her dad, which she’ll cop to begrudgingly.

Like her mom [name_f]Frida[/name_f] isn’t too outdoorsy, however she’s willing to make exceptions given how spending extra time together is important: especially now she’s joined her schools Fashion Club and is working on collage based artwork for her bedroom.

Talia’s distancing from the family has hit [name_f]Frida[/name_f] hard, to the point of her refusing to talk about her cousin much, unless it’s with her mom. They were once incredibly close, pretty much considering each other sisters - sharing lots of secrets, going to each other for advice, lending and swapping clothes - but now that’s all but disappeared. Their last conversation was an argument, in which [name_f]Frida[/name_f] accused [name_f]Talia[/name_f] of wanting to cut off her family to deny her past ever hurt her, and even with [name_u]Nelly[/name_u] asking occasionally if her daughter wants to reach out, [name_f]Frida[/name_f] refuses to budge.

[I_meme_it]

tw: bullying

[name_m]Russell[/name_m] ’ [name_m]Russ[/name_m] ’ [name_m]Edward[/name_m] Lopresti (10) is one of Frida’s friends and a fellow strong believer in self-expression. [name_m]Russ[/name_m] started attending ballet lessons purely by coincidence when he was four. His mom was trying to look for an activity for both of her young children - [name_m]Russ[/name_m] and his little sister - and while looking round a local ballet studio, [name_m]Russ[/name_m] found himself so intrigued by the dancing that he asked his mom if he could attend them. With his sister also wanting to start lessons, everything went from there, and both siblings are devoted to dance.

Of course this had unfortunately meant that [name_m]Russ[/name_m] has faced bullying from certain peers, who believe that his chosen pastime is ridiculous for not being traditionally masculine. In spite of one of his friends’ asking if he’d quit, [name_m]Russ[/name_m] was steadfast in continuing to dance, and gradually, people have left him alone more when it comes to his passion: they can’t force him to be ashamed or abandon his chosen path, so what’s the point in making comments?

Like [name_f]Nelly[/name_f], Ms Lopresti is also a single parent, and this is something that led to the women becoming friends when [name_f]Frida[/name_f] and [name_m]Russ[/name_m] started hanging out after being paired up for a science project. [name_f]Frida[/name_f] was vaguely aware of him already, thanks to [name_m]Russ[/name_m] being known for his dancing, but they immediately clicked upon properly meeting, not that it’s surprised them with some hindsight. They’ve formed a friend circle of people likewise unafraid of being themselves and [name_m]Russ[/name_m] has found himself a lot happier because of this. While he was able to ignore the taunts for the most part, being friends with people who genuinely accept and encourage him means more than anything.

[CherryBomb50]

Last 5 Days!

Warning for brief deadbeat mentions and for conception difficulties. Also I’ve been posting at least 1 character every day for nearly a year, and it’s the last 5 days before making that mark, so expect multiple characters in the Last 5 Days alongside the 1-year mark because I’m way too addicted!

[name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] Lopresti (38) is the single mother of [name_m]Russ[/name_m] and his sister and a firm believer in them pursuing their passions. On an interesting level, while [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] has no siblings, she has a quaternary twin! Despite its name, quaternary twins aren’t real twins – they’re actually cousins. But they’re considered “twins” because they have such similar DNA because they’re the product of two identical twins having children with two identical twins. So Giorgia’s parents are twins, and her aunt and uncle are the respective twins of her parents! She and her q-twin get a lot of talk about this, even though their age difference is rather far for twins – [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] is three months older. Quaternary twins don’t have to share a birthdate, they can be as far as 9 months apart to be quaternary twins. However both [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] and her q-twin are single births and neither have twins themselves. They’ve gotten some attention for their interesting dynamic but nobody in the Loprestis ever let it go to their head.

She’s glad [name_m]Russ[/name_m] is such a great dancer and stands up for him while encouraging his assertion in standing up for himself as well. She’s grown up seeing male ballerinas and she knows they’ve been in these classes from time to time yet it’s still taboo in a sense. How long must people wait before equality is truly settled in? [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] herself owns her own handbag business, but she often gets comments from people assuming she’s an heiress rather than the founder. She doesn’t let anyone keep making those assumptions and she looks up to fellow female handbag designers like [name_f]Vera[/name_f] Wang and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] Spade. As for why she’s a single mother, she’s aro/ace and never really wanted a partner. Some people have wanted to date her for her money but she’s always said no, especially since many of these people don’t want to be around kids and think that [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] will somehow “give them up” for a person to date. [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] cringes at this and wants no part in that, which is why she’s very strong with [name_f]Nelly[/name_f] and could never see why her former partner left at the infancy of [name_f]Frida[/name_f] – but [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] also agrees [name_f]Nelly[/name_f] and [name_f]Frida[/name_f] are better without him. [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] had some difficulties in conceiving despite being a single parent by anonymous donour and ironically her daughter, Russ’s sister, was actually carried by her q-twin! Her daughter knows this and [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] is very thankful for having someone so biologically close to her to be able to carry. Giorgia’s q-twin has a family of her own and [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f] loves to have her kids visit them with her.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] [name_f]Anna[/name_f] Lopresti (8) is Russ’ sister and Giorgas’ younger child, who tends to be energetic at all times of the day, even when her mom and brother wish to just chill. [name_m]Even[/name_m] when she’s tired out, [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] will insist she actually isn’t [she’s just resting her eyes]. A fellow lover of dance dance, [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] she prefers street style and hiphop over classical, having changed her practice style when she was six. Her primary teacher is [name_m]Hunter[/name_m] [name_m]Porter[/name_m], an accomplished figure in the community, who returned to work following maternity leave after the birth of her first child. Hunter’s style particularly works with [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f], who can be a bit of a perfectionist for her young years, and her teacher helps her to take pride in what she accomplishes, regardless of if further practice is needed.

Her mom being a q-twin is something else [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] is fascinated by, and she has been a little disappointed she lacks one of her own. To the initial shock, but now amusement of [name_f]Giorgia[/name_f], [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] consoled herself about this by stating she’ll merely have twins of her own someday. [name_m]Russ[/name_m] was less surprised by this, as he’s pretty sure his sister has a ‘crazy side’ to her, not that [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] takes offense when this is mentioned…usually [woe betide [name_m]Russell[/name_m] if he gets her on a bad day, as she knows how to sulk and mope]. What the siblings are always in agreement about is making sure people don’t bother their mom about dating, as even though the bigger picture isn’t clear to them yet, they know how uncomfortable these assumptions make her.

---

Hunter was created by @Lindseylloyd052399

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Elianna[/name_f] [name_f]Gina[/name_f] Lopresti (38) Bridgit’s cousin-once-removed and Giorgia’s q-twin. She remembers being in the news after she was born and the serendipity of her and Giorgia’s stories. [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] doesn’t let it be her whole life but she still has a clip of that newspaper, which she treasures. She loves Bridgit’s moves and thinks she’s a great dancer, especially with her energy and smile. [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] is convinced people are better at skills if they do what they love, which is why she loves directing plays. However, she’s a terrible singer despite how much she loves it! As for dancing, she’s glad her kids love it even if she’s nervous to go up there herself. She’s currently directing a play that new local actors are performing in. There were two actresses who she thought were perfect for a role. They were both equally qualified so [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] settled this by doing a “play-off”. Whoever remembered more scenes from the play would get the role. However both the actresses were new and relatively nervous. One of them wanted the role but was overwhelmed at the competitive aspect, so she only described one of the scenes. She believed it was okay if the other woman got the role and she was doubting her potential. But she ended up getting the role because as it turned out, the other woman didn’t try to recite any. And since one was greater than zero, the woman who recited one scene was the “winner”. Elianna’s learned from this that she shouldn’t be too demanding of new actors, a lesson she knows she’ll carry on moving forward. But she really thinks the woman who got the role is a great actress and deserving and that she wants the role, or she’d never have auditioned for it. That woman knows that, she just genuinely didn’t think she’d get it, being the type to want big roles but never get them, and she’s anxious about handling the next step.

Thankfully that woman is also a friend of Hunter’s, who’s helping her gain some confidence, as even [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] doesn’t know how nervous she is. That woman hides it well! [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] and [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] motivate [name_m]Russ[/name_m] and [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] about not letting nerves get the best of them. [name_m]Russ[/name_m] loves his dancing and doesn’t let gender roles control that while [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] can dance all day with ease. [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] herself also happens to be a single mother to twins, though her twins are ironically not biological, instead being adopted. The adoption is open and they see their birth parents. [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] didn’t know these birth parents prior to adopting their children, but now she’s on very friendly terms. One of the twins is a dancer as well while the other is not, but [name_f]Elianna[/name_f] loves them equally and lets them spend time with their second-cousins [name_m]Russ[/name_m] and [name_f]Bridgit[/name_f] as well.

[I.have.no.idea]

TW: teasing/bullying

[name_f]Johnnie[/name_f] [name_f]Bee[/name_f] Lopresti (5) is Elianna’s adopted son and the dancer of the family. [name_f]Johnnie[/name_f] plays lacrosse, flag football ,hockey, soccer and has started to dance. After his twin sister started, sje quit immediately after and they had a few sessions left so he decided to try it, so far he has only been able to sign up for ballet since he really likes being busy and is a huge sports fan like his sister. They both have an activity almost every evening and games on the weekend.

[name_f]Johnnie[/name_f] doesn’t really like school, he does very well but has a hard time with the other kids there as they tease him for everything he does, especially dance, they also call him a know-it-all. His twin sister who is in the other class has had an easier time and they both have friends there. He is also very close wih the kids he does sports with and [name_m]Russ[/name_m] & [name_f]Bridget[/name_f]. [name_f]Johnnie[/name_f] especially looks up to [name_m]Russ[/name_m] as he doesn’t know many boys in dance and thinks [name_m]Russ[/name_m] is very strong.

Though his mom has tried explaining to him what being adopted means, [name_f]Johnnie[/name_f] doesn’t really understand, he knows who his family is, it’s the Loprestis. He knows that technically he has a biological mom and dad and that they sometimes show up to his games and that afterwards he wears his nice cothes that his mom had just ironed to get ice cream but he’s still not sure what it means.