Post by Order: Jessica Tendonin on Dec 25, 2016 21:24:13 GMT -6
7:22 AM
December 25th, 2016
Tendonin Manor
Cleveland, Ohio
Camera Status: Off
The debate was one they had already had a half dozen or so times through the years. Dragasha’s Suspension. Typically only used in bursts of an hour or two. At one point in the past, Dragasha had claimed she could maintain the suspension for twelve hours, but they’d never had occasion to test it. Now, they were debating the topic again.
Jessica: I just want to spend the day with my babies.
Dragasha: And I understand that. Open gifts with them, eat with them, and then slink off.
Jessica: You’re being difficult.
Dragasha: No, I’m being cautious. If we make a mistake, you’ll have to go all the way back to the cave again.
Jessica: Six hours now, and a few later.
Dragasha: I-
Jessica: I just want them to really have their mother for Christmas. They’re old enough to remember me not being there.
Dragasha: They are three.
Jessica: And very aware.
Dragasha: Very well. 6 hours.
*******
The eyes of the body slowly shifted from Red to Green, and Jessica was back. Standing up, she had to grab the bedpost for support, becoming dizzy for a moment. Steadying herself, she padded out of the room, and then first went to her heirs room. Jessica II was sleeping. She looked peaceful. Jessica knelt next to the bed and kissed her cheek, running a hand through the young girl's hair.
Jessica II barely moved. Jessica leaned over and lightly licked her ear. One small giggle later, and the child was yawning with her eyes closed, and speaking.
Jessica II: Mama?
Jessica: Yes, my Jessica.
The young girl opened her eyes and their green eyes met, mother and daughter. Jessica II smiled, sitting up. Suddenly, she exclaimed.
Jessica II: Mama! It’s Christmas!
Jessica: Oh? Is it already? Are you sure?
Jessica II: YES!
The young girl excitedly pointed at her nightstand, where she had a calendar.
Jessica II: I marked the days, Mama!
Jessica: Oh, very well, then. Today is Christmas! Want to go wake your brother and sister?
Jessica II: YES! WAKE ASHLEY AND LUCIUS!
Jessica: Good! Bring them down to the living room, so we can begin opening gifts!
The three year old hopped out of bed and dashed out of her room, and Jessica smiled after her. She then stood and made her way downstairs, where she knew her husband was waiting for them. She found him drinking a glass of eggnog and fiddling with the sound system. She came up behind him, hugging him from behind.
Lucius: Awake, I see.
He turned around to face her. Looking into her green eyes, he grinned.
Lucius: Oh, this is a treat. I even get my wife.
Jessica: Lonely?
Lucius: She kept me company a few nights.
Jessica: Is that what you’re calling it?
With a slight reddening of his face, Lucius changed the subject.
Lucius: You’re sister should be here around noon.
Jessica: Good. I missed her.
Lucius: She never told me why she dyed your hair...
Jessica frowned and just then, the three children came running into the room. After the five of them sat down and talked for a moment, a major point of the talk being that the children promised to help clean up when finished, the children were unleashed. Lucius had sorted everything into piles for each of them.
All three of them could read, but Jessica II was the most advanced. Thus, while all of them got books, Jessica II got a few that were more advanced. For starters, Lucius had bought her the entire Harry Potter collection. Jessica had contemplated A Song of Ice and Fire, but after reading a bit of it, she decided against exposing her heir to certain elements in the novels. She was, after all, three years old. The Potter books would be pushing it at times. She instead settled on The Belgariad, a classic from her own childhood.
Jessica and Lucius had told each of them to pick a language to learn; Jessica II had chosen French, Spanish for Ashley, and Korean for Lucius Kevin. One package for each of them included beginner items for learning their chosen languages. Of course, they were three years old, so there were actually toys under the tree. Ashley and Lucius Kevin finished opening all of their gifts, but Jessica II had begun reading. A moment later, she spoke.
Jessica II: Mama, what is this word?
Jessica crawled over to look at it.
Jessica: That word is traffic, dear. It is used to describe there being cars around.
Jessica II: Thank you.
Jessica leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Jessica: You’re welcome. Would you like mama to buy you a dictionary, in case you come across more difficult words?
The girl turned to her mother again, her head tilted.
Jessica II: What is a dictionary?
Jessica: It’s another book, but this one tells you the meaning of words.
Jessica II: Will it tell me words like tra...traffic?
Jessica: Oh yes, and others like ostentatious, ordinance, and contemporary.
Jessica II: Okay. I want it.
Jessica: Alright. Mama will buy it for you. It may take a few days, though.
The young girl nodded and smiled as she went back to reading her book. Jessica watched her for a moment. In a world where electronics dominated the daily lives of most people, it was extremely heartwarming to see her daughter so interested in a book. Her children could have asked her for pretty much anything short of a house or car, but instead, they wanted a couple of toys, and books.
Lucius caught Jessica’s eye and he nodded toward their eldest daughter with a smile. Jessica nodded; he too was happy to see her taking such an interest in the book. The family of five sat in the room for about an hour after opening gifts. Then, they all cleaned up a bit before having brunch. Jessica’s parents arrived during the meal, bringing more gifts as well. All in all, it was quite a pleasant day.
December 25th, 2016
Tendonin Manor
Cleveland, Ohio
Camera Status: Off
The debate was one they had already had a half dozen or so times through the years. Dragasha’s Suspension. Typically only used in bursts of an hour or two. At one point in the past, Dragasha had claimed she could maintain the suspension for twelve hours, but they’d never had occasion to test it. Now, they were debating the topic again.
Jessica: I just want to spend the day with my babies.
Dragasha: And I understand that. Open gifts with them, eat with them, and then slink off.
Jessica: You’re being difficult.
Dragasha: No, I’m being cautious. If we make a mistake, you’ll have to go all the way back to the cave again.
Jessica: Six hours now, and a few later.
Dragasha: I-
Jessica: I just want them to really have their mother for Christmas. They’re old enough to remember me not being there.
Dragasha: They are three.
Jessica: And very aware.
Dragasha: Very well. 6 hours.
*******
The eyes of the body slowly shifted from Red to Green, and Jessica was back. Standing up, she had to grab the bedpost for support, becoming dizzy for a moment. Steadying herself, she padded out of the room, and then first went to her heirs room. Jessica II was sleeping. She looked peaceful. Jessica knelt next to the bed and kissed her cheek, running a hand through the young girl's hair.
Jessica II barely moved. Jessica leaned over and lightly licked her ear. One small giggle later, and the child was yawning with her eyes closed, and speaking.
Jessica II: Mama?
Jessica: Yes, my Jessica.
The young girl opened her eyes and their green eyes met, mother and daughter. Jessica II smiled, sitting up. Suddenly, she exclaimed.
Jessica II: Mama! It’s Christmas!
Jessica: Oh? Is it already? Are you sure?
Jessica II: YES!
The young girl excitedly pointed at her nightstand, where she had a calendar.
Jessica II: I marked the days, Mama!
Jessica: Oh, very well, then. Today is Christmas! Want to go wake your brother and sister?
Jessica II: YES! WAKE ASHLEY AND LUCIUS!
Jessica: Good! Bring them down to the living room, so we can begin opening gifts!
The three year old hopped out of bed and dashed out of her room, and Jessica smiled after her. She then stood and made her way downstairs, where she knew her husband was waiting for them. She found him drinking a glass of eggnog and fiddling with the sound system. She came up behind him, hugging him from behind.
Lucius: Awake, I see.
He turned around to face her. Looking into her green eyes, he grinned.
Lucius: Oh, this is a treat. I even get my wife.
Jessica: Lonely?
Lucius: She kept me company a few nights.
Jessica: Is that what you’re calling it?
With a slight reddening of his face, Lucius changed the subject.
Lucius: You’re sister should be here around noon.
Jessica: Good. I missed her.
Lucius: She never told me why she dyed your hair...
Jessica frowned and just then, the three children came running into the room. After the five of them sat down and talked for a moment, a major point of the talk being that the children promised to help clean up when finished, the children were unleashed. Lucius had sorted everything into piles for each of them.
All three of them could read, but Jessica II was the most advanced. Thus, while all of them got books, Jessica II got a few that were more advanced. For starters, Lucius had bought her the entire Harry Potter collection. Jessica had contemplated A Song of Ice and Fire, but after reading a bit of it, she decided against exposing her heir to certain elements in the novels. She was, after all, three years old. The Potter books would be pushing it at times. She instead settled on The Belgariad, a classic from her own childhood.
Jessica and Lucius had told each of them to pick a language to learn; Jessica II had chosen French, Spanish for Ashley, and Korean for Lucius Kevin. One package for each of them included beginner items for learning their chosen languages. Of course, they were three years old, so there were actually toys under the tree. Ashley and Lucius Kevin finished opening all of their gifts, but Jessica II had begun reading. A moment later, she spoke.
Jessica II: Mama, what is this word?
Jessica crawled over to look at it.
Jessica: That word is traffic, dear. It is used to describe there being cars around.
Jessica II: Thank you.
Jessica leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Jessica: You’re welcome. Would you like mama to buy you a dictionary, in case you come across more difficult words?
The girl turned to her mother again, her head tilted.
Jessica II: What is a dictionary?
Jessica: It’s another book, but this one tells you the meaning of words.
Jessica II: Will it tell me words like tra...traffic?
Jessica: Oh yes, and others like ostentatious, ordinance, and contemporary.
Jessica II: Okay. I want it.
Jessica: Alright. Mama will buy it for you. It may take a few days, though.
The young girl nodded and smiled as she went back to reading her book. Jessica watched her for a moment. In a world where electronics dominated the daily lives of most people, it was extremely heartwarming to see her daughter so interested in a book. Her children could have asked her for pretty much anything short of a house or car, but instead, they wanted a couple of toys, and books.
Lucius caught Jessica’s eye and he nodded toward their eldest daughter with a smile. Jessica nodded; he too was happy to see her taking such an interest in the book. The family of five sat in the room for about an hour after opening gifts. Then, they all cleaned up a bit before having brunch. Jessica’s parents arrived during the meal, bringing more gifts as well. All in all, it was quite a pleasant day.
