4.35 Being Ready

Kaity nervously rubbed her arm as she wondered how to start the conversation. Sophie looked at her expectantly, while Jaydean, obviously assuming they were in trouble, avoided eye contact at all costs. When did they get so big? It seemed only yesterday she was feeding them in their high chairs and kissing grazed knees better. These days she could hardly keep up. They'd babble on about who was dating who and what boy was better looking, it made her feel old. She'd never been one to care about any of that stuff when she was their age, but she could at least follow who was who back then...

"Helloooo? Mum? We've got homework you want us to do, and you'll want us in bed early because we have school tomorrow." Sophie broke her reverie, reminding her that she wasn't supposed to be reminiscing in her teenage - teenage - daughters' room, she was supposed to be having a serious conversation.

"Yes, uhm, sorry. I don't really know how to start..." She trailed off, wishing Winter was here because he was the one who was good with this kind of stuff.
"Oh plumbob!" Jaydean pulled a face. "It's not, y'know, the talk, is it? Mum, you don't have to do that, we learnt it all in school already."
"No! No, it's not that." Kaity breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't that. At least this conversation would hopefully be slightly easier.

Sophie lounged on her sisters bed, stretching her legs out a little and accidentally kicking Jaydean in the process. Jaydean let out a little frustrated noise, before repositioning herself around her twins new position. The fact that she didn't have their full attention spurred Kaity on.
"I asked Winter-" No! That's not what I practiced at all! "I wondered..." She'd lost it now. They were looking at her again and she'd completely forgotton the speech she'd practiced all day on Shaena.

"You asked Winter what?" Jaydean asked as she and her sister shared a knowing smile.
"How would you feel if Winter moved in?" She paused for a split second, not even giving them time to react before explaining herself. "I mean really. If you don't want him here then he doesn't move in. I've asked Shae and she's fine with it, but I thought I'd ask you two before I told your brother because I know he won't have a problem with it.." She trailed off. The girls were smiling now, holding back laughter.

"Mum. Seriously?" Sophie asked.
"Yeah, why would we have a problem with it?" Jaydean added. "He's never had to spend time with us, or include us in the things he does with Tummy, but he does and even when he first moved here and we were annoying and bratty, he still made time for us."
"He's the only man who's ever taken an interest in us. I know all the others weren't the same, they were just for fun, just one night, but Winter is like a father to us and we'd love to have him move in."

"Thank you, guys. That really puts my mind at ease." Kaity smiled uneasily. "Do you really remember all the one-night-stands? You were very young."
"Fairies have amazing memories, mum. If you'd been born a fairy you'd remember your first steps and everything too." Sophie explained. "But don't feel bad about it! Everyone makes mistakes."
"Yeah, it just means you can't tell us off when we do stupid stuff." Jaydean joked, and Kaity gave her a 'that's what you think' look.

"Does this mean you'll get married now? And have more kids? Can you try and have a girl, please? Brothers are soooo annoying." Jaydean asked, and Sophie sat herself up, waiting for an answer. Kaity froze. She had no idea what to say. She'd not thought that far, and she'd never planned on having children to begin with!
"Uhm... One step at a time, yeah?" She stammered. The twins giggled at the flustered look on her face, and she sighed when she realised they were only messing around... Weren't they?

***

"Hello Poppy!" Elise screeched as Popcorn jumped up onto the sofa next to her.
"It's Popcorn! And he's a boy anyway so you can't call him 'Poppy' because that's a girls name." Autumn corrected her, giving Popcorn an affectionate scratch behind the ears. Elise stuck her tongue out at him, and pulled the dog onto her lap. Popcorn was always hanging around her lately, she guessed maybe he could sense her mood. She wasn't upset that Winter was moving in, as Shaena had said, now she had two mums, a dad and a grandad who she saw regularly, but she still got jealous of Autumn and his perfect life.

She related more with Josh. Everyone thought she'd hate him because his dad killed her mum, but the way she saw it, that didn't matter. Josh had barely met his father, and he'd been in jail most of his life, so why should what he did matter at all to what Josh was like? She guessed Josh felt somehow responsible, because he was a lot nicer to her than Autumn was. They didn't exactly bully her, but when they were together they'd pick fun of anything she said. She didn't really care, when Autumn took it too far that one time she'd just told his sisters and they'd sorted it out. She didn't know what they did, but Autumn walked up to her, apologised, and gave her a dandilion from the garden.

"TICKLE!!!!" Elise shouted as Popcorn rolled over on her legs, the boys glanced at her before going back to their conversation.
"Maybe she'll finally get rid of the pink?" Josh suggested, motioning to the walls, floor and ceiling.
"Do you really think my dad living here will change her? She's stubborn, I bet even if we ripped the wallpaper down she'd just buy the same again and put it back up." Autumn doubted, looking over at Elise and Popcorn to see why the dog was making so much noise. "Ellie, stop it."

Elise rolled her eyes before gently sitting the dog upright again and petting his back. They were hardly even watching the TV, so did it really matter how much noise she made? Plus, nobody cared about their boring conversation about wall paper. How old were they meant to be? There was nothing wrong with pink anyway, and there were still going to be more girls in the house than boys even when Winter moved in, so if there was a vote the house would still be pink.

***

Three months later...

  "Hello?" Kaity recognised the number as Sunset Valley Community School For The Gifted, and immediately assumed someone was dying.
"Hello, is this Kaity Mattell? Mother of Jaydean and Sophie Mattell?" The receptionist didn't sound like she was panicking.
"Yes, speaking."
"I'm sorry to trouble you, but Principal Swift would like you to come in for a chat. Today would be ideal, but we can arrange a later date if that fits better for you?" Kaity's face fell. 'Come in for a chat'. She knew from experiance that SVCSFTG didn't call parents in for a chat because they were excelling or being well behaved. The receptionist had mentioned both girls names, so they must both be in trouble.
"I can be in immediately, if that's ok with him?" She sighed through clenched teeth, trying to imagine what the twins had got up to that required her having a meeting with their principal.
"Yes, that would be fine, we'll see you shortly, thank you." She hung the phone up and Kaity growled under her breath. So much for spending her afternoon off pampering herself and making herself look pretty for her date with Winter tonight.

"Mrs. Mattell-"
"Miss." Kaity corrected automatically. She had no idea why everyone assumed she was married, the principal didn't look like he read tabloids, but most everyone else did.
"Sorry, Miss Mattell. I'm sorry to have to call you in today, I'm sure you're very busy, but your daughters were caught passing notes in class by Mrs. Mattell- Odd coincidence, that..." Mr. Swift trailed off, wondering if there was any relation.
"My grandma Lisa." Kaity clarified. She turned in her chair to the girls, who looked terrified. She gave them a look to ask them to explain themselves.

 "Mum, I can explain..." Sophie started, but trailed off and buried her head in her hands, realising there was nothing she could say. Kaity turned her attention to her other daughter.
"We're really sorry..." Jaydean mumbled.
"As this isn't the first time-"
"What?!" Kaity swiftly spun back to look at the head master.
"We sent letters home, this is the third time they've been caught passing notes."
"Those letters never made it home, if they had, I can assure you Mr. Swift, it wouldn't have happened again." Kaity growled. Mr. Swift looked a little worried at what she might do to her daughters once they left.

"Ordinarily, we'd issue detention, but when you made no response to the letters we sent we assumed they hadn't made it to you and decided a discussion with you was for the best."
"Give them detention." Kaity said, her voice cold and emotionless. "Every day for the rest of the term. They won't be attending prom, and they won't be leaving the house other than for school until they move out."
"Miss Mattell, I don't mean to criticise your parenting techniques, but I feel that level of punishment is a little harsh. They are, the majority of the time, well behaved students, and these notes haven't been the usual bullying gossip we tend to confiscate off pupils their age."
"Do you have the note? I'd like to see what was so important it couldn't wait until they got home."

"NO!" Jaydean shouted, Sophie let out a gasp as she sat up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Mr. Swift, please! Please! She can't read it!" Kaity looked at her horrified daughters, and realised it must be something they didn't want her to know. She remembered the only time she would have reacted like that was when she was pregnant with them, if this was something like that she needed to know.
"I'd like to see it, please." Kaity stated calmly, turning back to the principle and taking the folded piece of paper from his hand. Her hand shook a little as she opened it, worried about the contents.

Jaydean - So, tonight's the night! How do you think he'll do it?
Sophie - Probs down on one knee, old skool romantic lol
Jaydean - Do you think she'll say yes?
Sophie - Dunno I hope so but maybe she'll make a scene?
Jaydean - I hope not! That would be crap! Surely she'll try not 2 make a scene?
Sophie - Wud be best if paps about, but you know how she is...

Kaity screwed the note up in anger. It was obvious who the 'she' and 'he' were in the note, she only wished her grandmother and the principle didn't. She felt embarrassed, exposed, and so angry she could just trash the small office.
"Thank you, Mr. Swift." She muttered. "I promise, this won't happen again." She gritted her teeth as a tear slipped down her face and she prayed he wouldn't notice.
"Are you alright, Miss Mattell? This really isn't that serious of an offence, their placements at the school aren't in jeopardy."
"Yes. I'm fine. I'll take them home now if that's ok by you? I'll send their brother to pick up their homework when he finishes school."
"I'll arrange for their teacher to drop it off with him. Again, I'm sorry to call you in today. No further action will be taken as I can see you're going to punish them enough."
"Thank you." Kaity sighed as she stood on shakey legs. She turned to the twins, who were both sobbing uncontrollably. They knew exactly how much trouble they were in. "Out." She pointed to the door, and they obediantly scrambled from their seats on the bench and out into the corridor.

Kaity didn't say a word as she drove them home. She didn't say a word once they got home, either. The twins sent themselves to their room, and she just stood in the kitchen in shock. Shaena came down the stairs not long after the girls bedroom door slammed shut.
"Kaity?" She asked, she knew something huge had just happened from the way she was shaking and white as a sheet.
"Winter is going to propose to me tonight." She whispered in monotone, a glazed look in her eye. "And my daughters are grounded for life." Shaena was about to question how she knew and what they did, but Kaity's phone rang and she snapped.

"Leighton!" She bellowed. "This is hardly the time to be ringing me, what the hell do you want?!"
"Uhm... Hi, Kaity... I was just calling for a chat..." Leighton was thoroughly confused.
"Well the last 'chat' I had today didn't go so good. Go *bleep* yourself." She launched her phone at Shaena before running up the stairs.
"Kaity?! Wait-!" Shaena shouted after her as her bedroom door slammed shut. Shaena sighed and glanced down at the phone in her hands. Leighton was still on the line! She held it to her ear. "Hi, sorry about that." She apologised as she climbed the stairs. "I'll try and get her back but it's probably best if you give it a couple of days."
"Nah, just leave her. I'd rather talk to you, anyway." Shaena found herself blushing as she knocked on Kaity's door. Kaity shouted a few curse words at her, and Shaena retreated to her room so she'd still be close just incase.

She sat herself on her bed, and hit the loudspeaker icon on the phone.
"So, what would you rather talk to me about?"
"Nothing in particular, I just know that you won't snap and bite my head off if I don't read your mind. What have you been up to?"
"Not much. Working, parenting... I'm getting signed off from my therapist on Friday."
"Hey, that's great! You doing anything to celebrate?"
"Nah, might have a few drinks at home with Kaity. Winter's going to Appaloosa Plains that night though, so she'll probably be a bit of a killjoy."
"Well, that's not right." Leighton went quiet on the other end, obviously thinking, and Shaena got herself more comfortable.

 "See, I have this problem that you might be able to help me with Friday night..." Leighton waited for a response.
"Riiiiight?" Shaena raised an eyebrow. "Won't you be working Friday night?"
"Ah, that's where the problem is. I have all these paid days off to take, and no reason to take them. I also have all this spare money and nothing to spend it on. So, if you were a good friend and wanted to help, you could let me take you out to celebrate on Friday."
"If I was a good friend?" She repeated, half-questioning what he'd just said.
"Well, ok, you'd still be a good friend if you didn't want to, I guess... But how about it?"
"I dunno, what would we do?"
"Anything you want! The world is your oyster!" Shaena giggled at the silly phrase, and rolled onto her stomach.
"I want to go to the moon." She teased.
"I said the world is your oyster, not the universe!"

 "The outer atmosphere?" She grinned.
"How about dinner or a movie or something?" He suggested, the smile evident in his voice.
"Those sound like the kind of things you'd do on a date." Shaena pointed out quietly.
"They do." He agreed after a couple of seconds hesitation. "Ok, so yeah, I'm asking you on a date. But you said you were being signed off and I immediately assumed that meant you were ready to... See people. I know, that was stupid, but if you think you'd be alright, where better to start than with someone who's been there all along and you already know?"
"I don't know. What's in it for me?" Shaena toyed with her hair as her heart pounded in her chest.
"A free meal and an enjoyable night out to celebrate your newfound sanity?" Shaena smiled at the lighthearted teasing
"Ok." She could hardly believe it, but she'd just agreed to go on a date with Leighton.

***

"Kaity? What happened? Shae said you got called into the school?"
"I don't want to talk about it." She mumbled into her arms. "Especially not with you."
"What do you mean 'especially not with me'? What have I done?" Winter asked, confused.
"So, Shae didn't tell you everything?" She spat, lifting her head slightly and glaring at him with bloodshot eyes. "At least I know there's one person I can trust." Winter sighed, and rubbed his forehead, frustrated.
"What the hell are you on about, Kaity? I've not- as far as I know you have no secrets to tell - how have I betrayed your trust?"
"As if you don't know already." She picked a ball of paper off the bedside table, and threw it at him. He caught it, unballed it as he walked to the bed, and sat on the edge as he quickly read through it. A heavy silence filled the room as neither knew what to say.

"I'm sorry." Winter said, touching her leg to get her attention. Kaity looked shocked, she'd obviously just expected him to tell her she was overreacting. "In my defence, I didn't expect you to find out like this." Kaity rolled her eyes.
"So, you thought you'd tell everyone you knew that you were going to propose to me, and expected me to never find out?"
"No, I told the twins and Autumn because they helped pick the ring. I wanted them to be part of the whole thing. Shaena didn't know, Josh and Elise didn't know, nobody I work with knows, none of your family know." Kaity avoided eye contact by staring at her knees while she wondered what to say. Maybe she was overreacting and blowing this whole thing out of proportion.
"Sorry." She mumbled, still not able to look at him.

Winter waited a few minutes for her to elaborate, or at least look up, but she wouldn't.
"Are we still going to dinner?" He asked. Kaity shrugged.
"I'M HOOOMMMEEEE!" Autumns voice carried up the stairs. "And I have gifts for some evil twins!"
"I should probably go sort him out." Kaity muttered, standing from the bed. Winter stood too, and moved between her and the door, taking her in his arms.

"No. Can we please talk about this for once? I hate that you just suppress everything and let it build up, meaning that when something little happens, like the twins passing notes in class, you end up shutting yourself away and crying for hours. I love you, I'm here for you, and I want you to tell me everything that's on your mind at any time."
"Winter..." Kaity tried to pull away, but Winter held her firmly in place.
"I'm being serious. Look at you, you're a mess and you won't even tell me why! You know you can trust me, and that I'll always do anything I can to help you, so why bottle it up and force yourself to go through everything alone?"
"But Autumn..."
"Autumn will be fine. I need you right now."
"But I can't talk about it because you'll just end up hating me." She started crying again and Winter held her in a tight embrace, rocking her gently.

"Because you're not ready to get engaged? I think I've worked that much out by now. It's fine, you don't need to cry about it. I'll still love you no matter what, you know that." He paused and softly kissed the base of her neck as her tears soaked his shoulder. "I want to marry you, I'd like nothing more, but I'm not going to force you to do something you're not ready to do for my own gain, and you know that, too."
"But surely you just want to strangle me for ruining your plans?" She mumbled against his shirt, turning her head slightly and inhaling his calming scent.
"Only a little." He admitted, smiling. "I'd rather buy you something to cheer you up, like dinner at an expensive restaurant... Hey, you know what? I already booked a table!" He joked, giving her one last squeeze before pulling back a little.

"You could buy me a new dress to wear to dinner..." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and batted her eyelashes, all hint of sadness gone in a flash and her eyes once again twinkling and full of life.
"Oh, there's my girlfriend! I wondered where she was!" Winter teased, giving her a peck on the lips.
"Please! I want to look my best for you." She smiled sweetly and Winter chuckled at her moods sudden U-turn.
"You have plenty of dresses, Kaity! I've never seen you wear half of them!"
"Oh, please Winter! At least get me some shoes, I haven't had new shoes in ages!"
"Ditto on the shoes, my little golddigger. As soon as I mention money you cheer right up, don't you?"

Kaity pouted before changing her tactic quickly and standing on tiptoes to kiss him. Starting slow and sweet, and becoming deeper and more passionate as he responded.
"Kaity, what are you doing?" Winter asked against her mouth, knowing exactly what she was doing - getting her own way.

"Please." She breathed, breaking the kiss completely. "I love you." Winter sighed and pecked the end of her nose affectionately.
"Let me have a shower and then we'll go."
"Thank you." Kaity grinned, kissing him again.







Principal Swift, is Dustin Swift of Misty's Ouroboros Legacy. He's not the main character or anything, but there's plenty more hunky man-meat where that came from. Head on over! (Over 18's only, please! Very mature content.)

Ok, that end scene with Kaity and Winter (Kwinter)? Kaity was basically panicking about getting engaged (incase you couldn't get that much), it's not that she doesn't love Winter, she's just being a total commitment-phobe (even though she has the family oriented trait and has had a marriage wish locked almost her entire life. Shh.). She is most certainly not a golddigger(*raps* I ain't sayin' she a golddigga'), she just enjoys Winter spoiling her, even though she has more than enough money to support herself. Winter doesn't mind, and just wants to see her happy.
...Anyone else notice she also managed to escape talking about it? It's a skill she has.

Shae and Leighton, or Shaeton, just... Just awww.
Shae has been attending therapy since her ex-boyfriend went psycho and murdered her best friend. Kaity was offered it, but.. You're kidding, right? So, Shae obviously still has emotional scars, but she's talked it all through and has come to terms with it all. That doesn't mean her life will be plain sailing from now on, but she evidently is now allowing herself to move on by agreeing to go to dinner with Leighton. Lucky for him that Kaity snapped, isn't it?
(Apologies for the *bleep* thing, not that that could offend you... I did originally attempt to make up a word, but couldn't find one to fit. In my head Kaity swears worse than a sailor, so I do well to censor her usually!)

One last thing then I'll leave you in peace. Please ignore the inconsistant time of day outside... As in, daytime at school, night for Shaeton's scene, then day again for Kwinter... That was me being an idiot and not thinking.

Happy (belated) Birthday to the Mattells!

Oh wow! We're one yesterday!

One year ago, Barbie and Ken were just starting out their (very short) lives together, and now, four and a half generations later, the family looks completely different.

So, where have we been?
Well, we've had wicked witches, people rising from the dead, teenage pregnancies, a marriage on the rocks, a science facility disaster, weather and seasons, fairies, witches (good ones), vampires, genies, ghosts, love at first sight, murder, drunken nights, fist fights, tantrums, tears, smiles, laughter, paparazzi, a borked save, a broken laptop cable and a shiny 'new' PC.
We've been through a lot in one year, but this legacy isn't even halfway yet, so...

What can we expect next?
Well, obviously I've rolled for generation five already, I think we all know who the heir is, if not... Uhm... Let's leave it as a surprise? I still have quite a bit to get through this generation, though. The chapters will get longer, as I want to end the generation at or around 50 chapters (which is way too much, but can't be helped - any new readers, there are summaries up until chapter 4.25 on the 'Mattell family history' tab on the sidebar) unfortunately, this may mean updates slow down a bit (they already have, which I'm deeply sorry for. Real life getting in the way/health stuffs/blah). I do aim to go back to two chapters a week, but I am still working ten hours overtime a week, so until that dries up I'm just aiming for one a week.

Well, enough of me rambling! Enjoy your present! Thank you to all who have been reading my truely random random legacy (I really do make it up as I go along most of the time), you've made this challenge a hundred times more fun than if I'd just played it (though I'd probably have finished or given up by now), and I hope I can keep you all entertained for another year :)

Present!

(present is the above poses, btw)
Nectar bottle accessory by Sunny
Solo cup accessory by Sunny

4.34 Popcorn

"Autumn! Speed it up!" Kaity called up the stairs. He was the one who'd wanted to come to the laundrette with her, and now he was slowing her down. She just wanted to get the chores over with so she could put her feet up with a glass of wine.
"I'm coming!" He shouted down, and Kaity heard what sounded like an elephant stampede above her head before he bounded down the stairs. "Ready!" He announced, jumping the last three steps and landing at his mothers feet.
"One of these days you'll fall through that ceiling..." Kaity muttered, picking the bag of laundry up and heading out to the car.

_____

"I know what we can do after this, mummy dearest." Autumn smiled sweetly as he hopped up on the washer next to the one Kaity had chosen.
"Oh yeah?" Kaity asked, half listening as she poured way too much powdered soap into the wash-drum.
"Well, there's a pet shop right next door..." Autumn hinted, trailing off as his mother clicked her tongue.

"Autumn, we're not getting a dog." Kaity sighed, closing the lid and switching the washer on.
"But I'll look after it and you won't even know it's there!"
"No, that's how you think it'll work, but you'll get bored of it and even if you don't you have school all day."

 "But it doesn't matter! You know you can trust me! Haven't I proven myself to you?"
"Autumn, you're seven. You've not proven yourself to me, because you're a child and you can change at any second. You've inherited my temper and attention span, which is exactly why a dog is a bad idea." Kaity was getting sick of this conversation, she'd lost count of how many times she'd had to say no.
"But it would keep you company! Dad's gone again now, and you're all lonely at night, but if we had a cute little doggy then it could cuddle up to you at night."

Autumn watched his latest idea sink in. It was his best by far, and he knew his mother was weaker without his father there to back her up. Playing on that and her lonliness was pure genius.
"Autumn-"
"Please, mummy, pleeeeaaassseeeee!! I'll be really good!!" Kaity sighed, looking at the desperate look in her sons eyes.
"We can go the the pet shop, but only to look. Ok?"
"YES! Thank you!!" Autumn jumped off the machine and threw his arms around her.

_____

"Mummy please can we get this one?" Autumn gushed, tickling a small dogs nose. "He's really cute and friendly, see? He's not biting me and he doesn't even know me!"
"Autumn, we're not getting anything, remember?"
"Yeah, but-"
"No buts, I said we weren't getting anything."
"Then what was the point in bringing me here? Just to torture me?" Autumn spat, crossing his arms and glaring at his mother.

Kaity glared right back, and he realised he would never out-glare her. He turned his attention back to the dog, making silly noises and faces, making the animal bark at him.
"He's a natural." The woman behind the till remarked.
"Hmm?" Kaity asked her to eloborate.
"Your son, he's getting on really well with Peaches. We've had trouble finding him a home because he's not a throughbred and just gets overlooked." Kaity felt a pang of guilt. She'd never had a pet, and never had any desire to have one either, but to know this poor dog was left here just as lonely as she was without Winter, just for being different...
Dammit, Autumn! She thought to herself. Why did he have to put the idea of a dog to keep me company in my head?

"Fine!" Kaity conceded finally, watching how happy both her child and the animal were together.
"Really?!" Autumn spun around, a huge grin on his face. Kaity nodded her head once, and he flew towards her. "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!! I promise I will look after him until the day he dies, and you won't even know we have a pet I swear!"
"What you going to call him?" Kaity laughed, thinking the name the dog already had was awful. Peaches? Just no.
"Um, well he's got popcorns all over him, so Popcorn?"
"Popcorn? What do you mean he's got popcorns all over him?" Kaity looked at the dog, he looked pretty clean to her.
"Yeah, the spots. They look like popcorn." Kaity sighed and shook her head. She couldn't be bothered to argue right now.

_____

"OHYEAHHH!" Elise shouted once they'd returned home with Popcorn. "This is SOOOO cool"
Kaity explained to everyone that this dog was their shared responsibility, the adults would not step in to care for the dog and it was up to them to treat it right or they'd find a new home for him.

 When Kaity saw how happy Elise was especially, she knew she'd made the right choice. She always felt awful that Elise might feel left out as she had no family in the house. Hopefully this dog would help her feel better connected as she grew up.
"Little Poppy-Popcorn, you're such a cutie. You are, aren't you? Yes you are!" She cooed as she brushed his fur down.

_____

Kaity pulled Shaena to one side as the kids fussed over the new addition to the household.
"I've not told the kids yet." She started in hushed tones. "And I know I should have asked you first, but I asked Winter to move in and he said yes." Kaity winced as she waited for her cousins reaction. She felt really bad about springing this on her; it was her house too and even if Winter was working away a lot of the time, it would still affect her.

"Why do you look so nervous?" Shaena asked. "Is this what you really want?"
"Yes." Kaity answered immediately. "Yes, definately. I know it's kinda sudden-" Shaena laughed. "What?"
"Sudden, Kaity? He's practically lived here for months, I actually thought he'd moved in already."

"Sorry." Kaity mumbled, turning away as she cursed to herself. "I know I should have asked you, but I hadn't really planned to ask him, it just kinda happened."
"Kait. Stop being silly. Of course I don't mind, and you don't need to ask me anyway. This is your house, you're just kind enough to let me live here. I won't be able to ever repay you for what you've done for me and Josh, and if you feel you're finally at a place where you can commit yourself to Winter, then I wish you nothing but happiness."

"Thank you." Kaity pulled her into a hug.
"You realise you'll have to tone down the pink in this house, right?" Shaena teased, looking around the room.
"Why?" She asked. "Like you said, it's my house. I'm just nice enough to let Winter move in here." Kaity winked, and both girls giggled.

_____

"Evening, sweet. How's your day been?" Kaity subcnciously smiled as Winter answered the phone.
"I caved." She confessed.
"What?"
"I let Autumn get a dog, and I told Elise we could get some chickens tomorrow." Winter laughed. "No, please, I feel bad enough as it is! Do you think I'm spoiling them?"
"No, Kaity. We were going to get the dog for his birthday, the chickens are a bit of a surprise though. Where did that come from?"
"I don't even know! Ellie was cooing over Popcorn-"
"Popcorn?!"
"Yeah, I just couldn't be bothered to argue. Tummy named him-"
"Him?! We have a male dog called Popcorn?"

"Yes, I know. It's stupid. Apparently his spots look like popcorn."
"Well... In that case I can't wait to meet him."
"Oh, I told Shae you're moving in."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, she said it's fine. I've not told the kids yet, do you want me to wait until you're back?"
"I don't mind. I don't think they'll be angry. Maybe tell them before, then you can ask the twins what they really think? I don't want them to feel like I'm intruding on their lives."
"Winter, you're the only father they've ever known."
"Still." Winter didn't finish.
"How was your day?" Kaity asked after a slight pause, flopping down on the bed waiting for his response.







Sorry to jump around so much! :/ Needed to get the doggy into the house, and there wasn't a lot else that fit with it, so you got a lot of nothing. Plot starts again next chapter, don't worry.
And I've given up on Autumns tattoos. We'll have to wait until he's a teen because they won't stay put. For some reason they washed off in the shower just after I'd put them back, and I'm not doing that all over again.

4.33 Football

"Sophie! Hurry up!" Autumn banged on the door for the umpteenth time that morning. Why did teenage girls need so long in the bathroom anyway?
"I'll come out when I'm ready to come out. There's another bathroom downstairs! Use your legs for once." His sisters voice shouted back at him.
"But Jaydean's in there and she went in there after you came in here so she'll be hours yet. I really gotta go!"
"Well, go in a glass or something, I don't care." Autumn growled, frustrated, before running down the hall and banging on his mothers door.

 "What?!" Kaity's sleepy voice sounded a little grouchy.
"I gotta pee!" Autumn shouted back.
"You're a big boy now, what's stopping you?" Autumn sighed. He didn't have time for this. He tried the door, finding it unlocked he burst in and ran to the bathroom. "Autumn!" Kaity shouted as the door slammed shut behind him.

 "Winter, I'm not having this conversation. You're leaving in a few hours, I just want to enjoy what time we have left with the kids. Ok?" Autumn could hear his parents muttering as he washed his hands.
"Why do you always want to avoid the important discussions?" His dad didn't sound angry, but he knew his mum, and she'd take it the wrong way and flip out. Autumn to the rescue!

 "What are we doing today?" He asked, leaving the bathroom and sitting on the end of the bed. Judging by the expression on his mothers face, just in time, too. They never argued in front of him, but he knew they did argue because Ellie could hear them through her wall.
"What do you want to do?" Winter asked, sitting up and patting the bed between himself and Kaity, Autumn took the hint and scootched up the bed to sit between them.
"I want to go to the summer fair!" He announced, lying back on the bed. "Ellie's grandad took her last weekend and she said it was really fun! They have rollerskating and water fighting!"

 Kaity smiled and started running her fingers through his hair.
"Did you brush your hair yet?" She asked, touseling the knots out.
"Yes." Autumn lied, as his father lay back down beside him. "Can we go?"
"Don't see why not. You'll have to brush your hair first, though." How did his mother always know? "Do you want to see if Josh and Ellie want to come too?" Autumn nodded and rushed off to tell his friends. He knew they'd come too, they wouldn't leave him to spend the day with his moody sisters!

"Yesyesyes!" Elise danced on the spot in excitement. "I love being outside, and it's so warm today. This will be loads of fun!"
"Don't mess yourself." Josh muttered, and Elise punched his arm playfully.
"Oh, Tum, I forgot to tell you they had football there! Some dumb guy with a weird accent said it was 'soccer', but grampy told me I was right and it is football." Autumn pulled a face. Why would he have cared about that?

"Josh, you in?" Autumn didn't even really like playing with Elise all that much. They played around together because he'd get told off if he left her out, but he had far more fun with Josh. It was nothing against Elise, really, she was a nice person, but she never wanted to play the same games and what she did want to play was boring.
"Yeah, I'll get my mum to come too. All she does is mope around the house anyways."

_____

And so the Mattell/Lansing/McQueen household, plus Winter, headed down to the park to spend the day at the festival.

"Would you have fun like this in boring old Riverview?" Kaity joked, alluding to the town he'd be flying to that night.
"Probably not." He admitted, a grin spreading across his lips. "I travel for the peace and quiet."
"Hey!" Kaity reprimanded him, hitting his chest. "Your life would be boring if you didn't have me!"
"It wouldn't be the same, that's for sure." He pulled her into a kiss.

"Do you miss me when you're gone?" Kaity asked quietly.
"Of course I do! Why do you ask that?" Kaity shrugged, and kissed him again.

"You have to stop him from getting the ball in the goal!" Elise shouted.
"Yes, Ellie. I'm not stupid." Autumn replied, rolling his eyes. He turned back to face Josh, who'd placed the ball on the grass and was standing just back from it.

Josh shot the ball towards him at speed, and Autumn caught it effortlessly.
"Wooo! Go Autumn!" Elise screamed, jumping to her feet and dancing an impromptu cheer.
"Aww man!" Josh moaned, Autumn grinned and he and Josh swapped places.

"Ready, Soph?"
"I don't know if I even want to do this anymore, Jay... I mean, there's so many! I feel sick just thinking about it."
"Don't be a wiener." Jaydean laughed at her own bad pun.

The attendant sounded the claxon, and the twins, plus the guy who looked like a hotel employee, tucked in.

"Oh my plumbob..." Jaydean shouted, spraying half-chewed hot dog everywhere. Sophie refused to look up, she was sure her sister was just trying to distract her.

"Wooooooo!!!! Oh-Em-Pee! I did it!" Jaydean shouted, being sure to let the whole park know that she'd won the competition.

Almost a full minute later, the hotelier finished, with Sophie mere seconds behind, feeling rather sick,
"Aaah," Jaydean sighed, cracking her knuckles. "That was a sinch. Not even full." She boasted. Sophie rolled her eyes, and headed off to find the ladies room. The quicker she got those heavy hotdogs out of her system, the better.

Shaena looked up from her phone when she heard her cousin Rose shout an over-excited greeting to the accidental family gathering. Before her eyes made it to her cousin, they were distracted by Leighton. He was up on the grassy section, talking to some woman she'd never seen before.
"Shae!" Her name was called from behind her. She sighed, shook her head at Leighton and turned to the source of the shouting, her brother, Luis.

As the sun began to set, Josh, Autumn and Elise took to the skating rink with Lyris and Liana Lansing, Josh's twin cousins. The Lansing twins were closer to Jaydean and Sophie's age, but they didn't start high school for a few more weeks yet.

"Hey, I kept trying to talk to you but I could never get you alone." Leightons voice made Shaena look up.
"Oh, uhm.. Sorry, I guess?" Shaena stuttered, they were hardly alone right now, with the paparazzi hovering around Leighton.
"It's not your fault you're popular." Leighton shrugged her apology off. "How are you doing? I've not seen you for a few weeks." Shaena eyed the pap, who was now taking notes.
"Uh, are we ok to do this another time? I'm not really comfortable... you know..." She gestured subtly towards the paparazzo.
"Oh, sure, I barely even notice them anymore. Sorry. I'll see you around, then?" Shaena nodded, before heading to the skating rink to collect Josh.

_____

"I'm just saying you guys were so awesome at football, but I was the best at skating! You can't argue with that, because it's true." Elise reiterated her earlier statement.
"Sure, whatever El." Josh smirked, knowing how much the boys were winding her up.

Elise growled, exasperated, before standing and turning to her two friends.
"You know, I do like you both and everything, but I hate you as well." And with that, she stormed out of Autumns room, and the boys laughed as her heard her own bedroom door slam.

_____

 "I don't want you to go." Kaity moaned for the hundreth time since they'd arrived home five minutes earlier. She threw the bedroom door open and sulked in, Winter breathed a laugh as he kicked the door closed with his heel and pulled her to him, squeezing her tight.
"You might have mentioned that once or twice." He mumbled into her hair.
"Your flight doesn't even leave for hours, why are you going so early?" She huffed, trying not to let the fact that she really wanted to turn around and kiss him get in the way of her mood.

"Because." He started, taking both her hands and kissing from the base of her neck, across to her shoulder.
"Winter..." Kaity squirmed a little.
"Because someone wouldn't let me go home these past few weeks, and I need to get some fresh clothes."
"I took your stuff to the laundrette for you when I did mine! I even paid." She scowled, trying to ignore his gentle kisses.
"I'm still down a few shirts, you stole one, and threw one out the car window-"
"I didn't! I told you! The laundrette must've lost it because I definately took it with me!" She tried to pull one of her hands free. "You might as well just keep all your clothes here, because you're going to spend every night you can here..." She muttered. Winter stopped kissing, and there were a few moments silence while they each waited for the other to speak.

When she didn't continue, Winter spun her around and pulled her close, staring her straight in the eye.
"But then what would be the point in me renting that room?"
"I guess there wouldn't be a point." Kaity breathed. Why was she so nervous? There was a pause again.
"Well, that seems a little silly. Why would I waste my money renting a room I'll never use if we both agree there's no point?"
"Winter..." Kaity sighed. "Why are you being difficult?" She began to pull away a little, and Winter caught her arm.

"I want you to say the words, Kaity."
"I can't."
"Why not? What are you scared of?"
"I don't know!" She whined.
"You know what my answer will be." Kaity sighed, and there was silence again. Winter was just staring into her eyes, waiting. He clearly wasn't going to let this go easily.

After a couple of minutes, Kaity huffed. Why hadn't he given up already? She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.
"Will you move in with me?" She whispered. Winter leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips as a reward.
"Yes." He replied, before pulling her close once more and kissing her properly.

"But I do have to go still." Winter mumbled, pulling back.
"I know." Kaity muttered. She couldn't seem to find her voice. She'd never been so sure of something in her life, but at the same time she'd never felt so nervous, excited and happy all at once.

"But when you get back..." Kaity breathed, trailing off.
"When I get back we'll move my stuff over." He quickly pecked her on the lips again, before pulling away fully to grab his suitcase.





I have no idea where Autumns tattoo- uh... markings are, but I did save him to bin with them, so I'll just have to transfer that version of him over before next chapter. Jaydean and Sophie's stockings, and Josh's outfit, were installed via launcher, and I forgot to reinstall all that stuff before playing. I'll add them back next time.
 And no, I never usually use the word 'sinch', that's American. Most of you are from the US, and I didn't think you'd know what 'pimp-squeak', or 'pimpsy' meant.