Chapter Fourteen

The Fight

 

 

It's been a rough year for William and Jessica. Things just haven't been right between them for a while. With taking care of the little ones and Sydney starting school they haven't had time to focus on their relationship.

 

Robert and Evelyn being so close in age enjoy playing together. One afternoon, after their nap they were in their new playroom building a fort with their blocks.

"No Evie that doesn't go there" Robert told his sister.

"Ok" Evelyn meekly complied with her brothers wishes.

"Why don't you build the walls for the fort, while I build the fort? Then we can play soldiers and Indians."

"Not cowboys and Indians?" Evelyn queried.

"No cowboys don't live in forts, soldiers do. The Indians don't like the soldiers building their fort on their land" Robert explained.

"Don't the Indians share?"

"No cuz the soldiers didn't ask. They just took the land."

History was one of Roberts favorite things and he always asked for his parents to tell him something about history. He also enjoyed explaining things to Evelyn, who took everything her brother said at face value and believed everything he told her. It sometimes hurt Robert's feelings that he couldn't get Sydney's attention but at least he had Evelyn

 Sydney disliked having younger siblings and wished she was an only child. She disliked sharing her things but mostly she hated sharing her parents attention with them, it was supposed to be all hers. But now that she was older it was easier to tolerate the little brats. She had big kid toys that they couldn't play with and she could paint.

The downside was the little brats were always getting into her stuff, no matter how many times she told them not to go into her room. She begged her parents for a lock but of course they said no. The way they reacted you would have thought she had killed the neighbors cat. She was glad she was in school, at least then she didn't have to deal with the little brats. Although if she had her way it would be them being sent away and she would be home all day. Life was so unfair!

 

One day while Sydney was in her "art studio", which was actually the kids playroom, her parents were involved in another argument. She rolled her eyes and said to herself "looks like the parentals are in another "heated debate". What a laugh, heated debate, more like fighting." The brats became quieter as their parents voices became louder. At least that was a bonus, thought Sydney, trying to concentrate on her painting.

 

"I don't understand why your so dead set against having more kids" Jessica said close to tears.

"Jessica three is enough. Can't you enjoy the ones you have?" William asked.

"You don't understand" Jessica said shaking her head.

"What don't I understand?" William wondered "Jessica tell me why, explain it to me."

"I want five babies. You know I always wanted a large family. If we could have three more than I'd have what I always wanted, dreamed of"

"Three more? We already have three, don't you mean two more?

"Well with Sydney and Robert plus three more that would make five."

"Whoa, what about Evelyn? Doesn't she count as one of our kids?" William said with mounting anger.

"No, yes, I ... William don't look at me like that."

William was stare at Jessica without blinking trying to comprehend what Jessica had just said. She didn't accept Evelyn as part of the family. How that hurt, he couldn't undo what happened and he wouldn't if he could. How dare she be so uncaring? William angrily turned away from Jessica saying "I'm going to work" and slammed the door as he went out.