Chapter Thirteen

Life Goes On

 

 

It was hard to believe that it was already Roberts birthday. So much has happened in the past year that it was good to have something to celebrate. They planned a small family gathering, not feeling up to having a lot of people over. William still became nervous and anxious in large groups and preferred to stay at home with his family. On the urging of Jessica he took a leave absence from the restaurant until he felt he could handle going back to work.

Finances were tight but they had some money in the bank and Jessica was able to grow good quality vegetables that she was able to sell to supplement their income. But their savings were almost depleted and Jessica was thinking she would soon have to look for employment. She worried about leaving William alone with the children not that she didn't trust him but she didn't want to put William under more pressure.

Jessica tried not to become anxious about their finances and focused on her family making sure everyone was happy and well taken care of. Robert was a mild mannered little boy, who much preferred his own company to that of anyone else. He liked being alone and could be found playing by himself much of the time. Which was good considering Sydney still hasn't accepted having a brother and would much prefer having her parents all to herself.
 

 

One day William was contemplating his life and everything he had experienced up until this moment. He remembered his mothers words to him when he begged to be allowed to home school so that he wouldn't have to face the school bully she told him "attitude was everything". She said if you believe you can face down the bully than you will if you believe he will beat the stuffing out of you then he will. It gave him the confidence that he needed to go to school and face the bully. Of course he came out of the altercation with a black eye and a week's detention but he maintained his self respect and the bully didn't bother him again. 

He was finding his mothers word's comforting now as he tried to overcome his anxiousness over going back to work. He had called the restaurant manager and told him he thought he was ready to go back to work if they could use him at the restaurant. His manager said they could always use a chef of William's caliber and that the restaurant hadn't been the same since he left. William was relieved that he had his job back and that he would start next week. He was going to miss not being able to spend as much time with the kids but he also knew that someone had to pay the bills.

"Come to Mama." Jessica said coaxing Robert to her while teaching him how to walk.

She laughed at his joyful cries "Look Mama, I do it." He looked more like he was trying march than walk but he was doing it.

Jessica loved teaching her babies how to walk and she noticed that the more Robert grew and was able to get about the more Sydney noticed him and was more apt to play with him. 

William enjoyed teaching Robert how to talk. Robert's first words were "mama and dada" and would sit gleefully saying mama and dada over and over again.

One day Sydney was in Roberts room playing with his blocks while he was gleefully repeating: "mama, dada, mama, dada, mama, dada"

"Robert, shut up." Sydney demanded

"Why?" Robert asked confused

"Cause I said so."

"Why?"

"You sound stupid, that's why." Sydney said staring at him daring him to ask why again.

Instead Robert laughed and went back to repeating mama, dada over and over again to the disgust of his sister.

 
She soon got up to leave in search of someone to make him be quiet.

"Mama make him stop" Sydney demanded when she found her mom.

Jessica looked down at Sydney and asked "Make who stop what?"

"Make Robert stop talking" Sydney demanded stamping her foot.

Trying not to laugh Jessica asked "Why?"

"Cuz he's making me made and I can't think with all that noise."

"Honey he's just learning to talk, leave him alone." Jessica told her.

Sydney pouted and grumbled to herself "first I get a brother I don't want and have to be nice to. Then I get a sister that I do want but don't like because she's green. I'd like her better if she were pink or purple but nobody asks me what I want before they give me these things."

Jessica tried not to laugh at the little tirade Sydney was having. Although she hoped that she would learn to like both of her siblings in time. She just couldn't understand why she resented both of them so much.

Soon it was Evelyn's birthday and William was becoming a little annoyed with his little princess who insisted on booing the birthday girl instead singing happy birthday. However when he turned to Sydney to tell her to stop she began to laugh and sing happy birthday too. William smiled at her and turned his attention back to Evelyn saying "Well pumpkin, ready to blow out your candle?"

Sydney was a very quiet little girl, hardly making a sound when she played. Although one day she found Sydney's ugly doll laying on the floor forgotten. She singing to it when Sydney came in and saw her playing with her doll.

"No that's my doll" Sydney screamed at her sister.

Evelyn started to cry but still clung to the doll refusing to give it to Sydney.

Sydney grabbed the doll yelling "It's mine, it's mine. Let go."

Evelyn struggled to keep a firm grip on the doll as Sydney continued to pull.

Jessica hurried into the room upon hearing Evelyn's cries and Sydney's screams.

"Sydney Marie Bennett what do you thing you are doing." Jessica demanded.

Sydney immediately let go of the doll upon hearing that tone from her mother. She knew that tone meant she'd better listen or she was going to be in trouble. Although from the look on her Mother's face she may already be in trouble.

"Sydney how many times have I told you that you had to share?"

Sydney just looked to the floor and shrugged not answering.

"Say your sorry." Jessica told her.

Looking up to her mother and over to her sister she began "I'm ... No I won't. It's mine." she stamped her foot and balled her little hands into fists as the defied her mother.

Jessica was shocked at her refusal and said "alright young lady if you won't say I'm sorry you'll have to stay in your room for the rest of day until your father comes and he won't be happy."

With that Jessica picked up Evelyn and carried her out and as she closed the door she heard Sydney throwing an all out fit. But she kept going as Evelyn was crying, needing to be comforted and changed.

When William came home from work he was greeted by Jessica alone. He looked around for his little princess and asked "where's"

"In her room. When need to talk." Jessica said in an agitated voice.

William sighed knowing that this wasn't good. Not if Jessica felt the need to start off immediately into a discussion as soon as he got home. Usually she would wait until after supper to discuss the days events or issues that needed his input.

Going into the house William said "Alright what's wrong."

Jessica told him about the fight that Evelyn and Sydney got into over the ugly doll and how she had lost her temper and told Sydney to stay in her room until her father got home.

William agreed to talk to her. He went to Sydney's room and found her pouting on her bed hugging the ugly doll. She sat up when William came in and smiled thinking she could finally leave her room. She immediately went to the door and

"Not so fast princess."

She slowly turned to her father and said "It wasn't my fault."

William just looked at her a moment and wondered how she had become so selfish but he knew it was partly their fault by doting on her. "Honey why can't share your toys with your sister?"

"They're mine." Sydney stated as if that should cover it.

Thinking for a moment, William decided to try a different tact. "How old you?"

"Four almost five."

"Right and when your five you'll start school. You'll be a big girl then, right?"

"Yes" she agreed.

"As a big smart girl in school, will you want to play with all these little girl toys?"

Hesitating for moment realizing she had fallen into a trap she said "No but she might want to keep some of her stuffies."

"That's alright princess you don't need to give up all of your toys. But what up this ugly doll? Don't you thinks it's time you gave it to your little sister? You know she'll love it as much as you and hardly play with it anymore."

"Yes but grandma gave it to me not Evelyn."

"That's right she did but Evelyn doesn't have a grandma to give her dolls. Don't you think your grandma would be proud of you if you shared your doll with her?"

"Alright daddy I'll let Evelyn play with my doll."

"And you'll tell her your sorry." William included.

"Yes dad" Sydney agreed.

On Williams next day off from work he spent time with Evelyn assisting her in learning how to talk. Jessica said she was a fast learner as she had practically taught herself how to walk.

Just like her older siblings she learned to say mama and dada first and than other words followed. Even Sydney took an interest in teaching Evelyn new words and laughing at her when she said them wrong. William considered telling Sydney to stop but decided not to as Evelyn seemed to enjoy having her sisters attention.

 

For Sydney's fifth birthday they decided to invite some friends over to celebrate with them. William was finding this birthday difficult, not wanting his little princess to grow up. He kept thinking she'd be going to school, then there would be boyfriends and then she want to get married. He didn't want his little girl growing up.

Sydney was excited when she received an easel for her birthday from her parents. She loved to draw and had begged, pleaded and hinted that she wanted an easel to paint. She squealed in delight and gave both her parents a quick hug before starting her first painting.

Her birthday party went on around her as she painted but she didn't care. It was mostly people she didn't know and they were old. Although some of the people that were invited didn't seem to like her mom either as she heard them arguing about something and she went to investigate but it was mostly over by the time she got there.

Then her parents started dancing, which would have been ok if they had danced with each other. Sydney didn't understand why they were dancing with other people. She didn't like it much and decided to go to her room so that she wouldn't have watch. She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much but it did. It somehow felt wrong.