And the Generation SIx Heir Is...

  Hazel Janes! I understand that if (and I'm assuming you did) you read the last chapter you may have some questions. I'll go ahead and try and answer a few:

• Yes, Hazel is gay/a lesbian. 
• Yes, she will be heir. 
• No, I do not play with mods. 
• Yes, Hazel will have biological children.

   I have a plan for how her generation will play out. I don't want to tell you how, since I want you to read and find out. Depending on what country you live in, LGBT is a controversial topic. That being said:

•  I'm not trying to make a political statement or anything (seriously, I'm just a lady who loves playing the Sims and writing). 
• I'm not trying to change your mind or make you for or against anything. 
• I'm not trying to offend anyone. 
• I'm going to write Hazel's relationship stuff like I normally would since I honestly have no idea if I'm suppose to write things differently or not. I don't see why I would.
• Yes I do like bulleting my points.
• I personally think that I shouldn't have to make bulleted points and tell you all this, but considering the recent news I figured I would.

  After reading all those nicely bulleted (Is that a word?  I keep typing it and Blogger keeps underlining it with red squiggles.) points, you're probably ready for another chapter. Maybe not. Either way, I'm going to go get a snack then play the Sims and get photos then type up a chapter then publish it (Does that sentence require commas?). Maybe read the news so I can pretend I'm an informed citizen (and by pretend I mean about the informed part, not the citizen part). I'm rambling now. Sooooo...... BYE!  
☺

6.14: Coming Out

Marco's POV...

   "We come to this festival expecting a fun time. Maybe we come with friends, maybe with our parents or children or even grandchildren. We come to this festival expecting fun for the family fun that's safe for everyone. This fair, while it may masquerade as safe, is not! They're using hormones, they're genetically modifying the food they serve, to keep it fresh! We are eating toxins! They're poisoning your daughters and sons, just so they can keep food days, even weeks, past the expiration date and serve them to you! Is this right? We all love the festival, put we love it for high quality fun, not some sort of cheap corner cutting profit machine." Hazel was standing on by the podium, leading the protest.
    When we were littler, maybe middle school, Hazel was obsessed with nature documentaries and planting trees and flowers; she said she was taking care of the Earth or saving it or something. Said nature was like a friend to her. When we reached high school, her nature lover-ness went a little crazy. She began researching animal cruelty, GMOs, the truth behind the food industry. She started eating only organic foods and became a vegetarian. When we graduated and Hazel didn't get into the university she applied to (she wanted to study GMOs and prove that we shouldn't be mass producing, chemically treating what we eat) she didn't know what to do. Until she saw a famous animal right's activist protesting in front of the world's largest and cruelest food company. She began setting up protests and rallies and dragging me along with her.
    We were both twenty now. She still lived at home with her father who was practically ancient, defiantly senile, and still running for mayor. I got into college and was spending my Thanksgiving break at home visiting my parents and older sister who recently got married. I was studying medicine; I wanted to be a heart surgeon. Hazel and I were still close friends, but were drifting apart some. She thought after two years of protesting, something would have changed. Nothing had. That didn't make Hazel any less amazing. Any less beautiful and talented. That didn't stop me from thinking if I helped out she'd fall for me.

   "Yeah! Now, I talked to our mayor and city council men and woman! They're thinking about passing a bill that states you cannot serve chemically treated or modified foods without warning people! Yeah, we're going to bring change! Change, change, change!" She began chanting. "Change, change! What do we want?"
   "CHANGE?!" The small group shouted.
   "Change! We want change." She smiled and stepped off, walking towards me.
   "Great protest." I smiled.
   "Thanks. I finally think that something will happen."
   "Good."
   "Yeah... I've wanted to help for so long. Ya think having daddy be a politician would help, but it doesn't. Thank you Marco."
    "You're welcome. I like helping you."

    "I appreciate it. Are you excited to meet AJ?"
    "AJ?" I began searching my mind. She'd mentioned an AJ a few times prior to the conversation. Something about- I felt sick suddenly. She was dating AJ. AJ took her to a resort in the Bahamas that was an animal activist's nature lover's dream. "Oh, yeah. You said that AJ was coming. I didn't see him."
   "Marco." She giggled. "You're so funny. I always loved your sense of humor."  She loved my sense of humor? I wasn't even trying to be funny. "Oh, look! AJ." I turned around, searching for the man who was good enough for her.
   "Hey, Hazel." A girl shouted, running towards us. Where was AJ? I glanced around. The girl must be some activist friend. I turned my head back to face Hazel and-

   "Wat the hell?" I shouted. This girl was shoving her tongue into Hazel's- I turned away. Was this assault? What was happening?
    "Dude, chill." The girl laughed. "Hazel, you haven't introduced me toy our boy toy yet."
    "I'm not her-"
    "This is Marco Tahan. Marco, AJ."
    "Wait, you're a...a..."
    "Marco, is it? You can say it. The word."
    "Lesbian?"
    "Yeah." Hazel looked lovingly at AJ. How could I have not known? How could I have loved this girl, Hazel, for so long when she didn't even like me gender? "AJ and I've been dating for a year and a half. I thought I told you. Guess not." How come she was acting like this wasn't a big deal? Wasn't it? I had no problems with it, her being gay or lesbian or whatever, but didn't people normally have some
sort of coming out thing?
    "He's doing it." AJ sighed.
    "What? It-no-I-" I blushed as I stuttered. "Just shocked."
    "Look Marco," Hazel said. "If straight people don't have to come out and tell their parents that they're straight, why do I? It's a surprise to you, but trust me, AJ is amazing. Once you get to know her, you'll  agree."
     "Does your dad know?"
     "Don't think it ever came up." She shrugged.
     "Hazel." AJ whined. "You said you'd tell him that you were dating."
     "I know, honey. Look, I don't need his approval, though. Why does it matter?"
     "Cause most fathers like meeting their only daughter's girlfriend."
     "You'll meet him, soon."
     "Pllllleassse. Let's go now." AJ stared at Hazel with puppy dog eyes. "I don't like you having to sneak over to my house for us to," She leaned in close to Hazel and whispered things I'm glad I didn't hear. I was shocked enough. "I'll even do that one thing you love. Come on. I went shopping. I have something special for you. A surprise"
     "You know I can't resist your surprises. I'll tell him." She sighed. "But I want to go alone. Okay?" She turned towards me. "Marco, I don't care if you tell people or not, just... be my friends, okay?"
      "Okay... I need to go back. Home. College. Look... I probably won't be back for a long time. I'm trying to get an internship and everything. LA." I turned and ran. I ran from the girl I loved. Use to love.
      "Marco!" I heard Hazel call out. She was crushed. I could hear it in her voice. I supported her no matter what, I didn't want her thinking that I was upset with the fact that she loved another woman, I was upset that she didn't love me. It wouldn't matter if she dated a girl or guy or if AJ was a billionaire or a supermodel or played professional basketball or was karate champion of the world. Nobody, boy or girl, was ever good enough for Hazel.

Hazel's POV...

   "Dad, I'm home!" I called out. I took a deep breath. All I had to do was tell him about AJ, who was waiting at her apartment for me.
   "Living room." I heard a quiet voice say. I heard him gasping for air.
   "Dad, I have something to tell you." I walked into the living room and say him playing chess by himself.
   "Alright." He said, standing up. He was wearing his suit he loved so dear. The one he wore to the office everyday. I took a deep breath. He supported gay marriage. He openly stated that he did. Why was I worried? I knew he'd be fine with it. I didn't need his approval anyways. I was only doing this because AJ wanted him to know. AJ was a goddess. So kind and sweet. Beautiful, intelligent, caring. She worked at an animal rescue center.
    "So... hey."
    "Hello." He stared at me blankly, waiting for me to say something. "What do you wish to tell me? I was playing chess... the black king was about to take the white rook. Dangerous, a king doesn't usually capture things."
    "You can get back to chess soon." I promised. "This won't take long."
    "What will not take long? hazel, please just tell me."
    "Daddy, I'm dating someone."

    "Ah." He said, looking at his feet. "I knew you were."
    "Were what?" I asked, confused. He knew I was dating a lady? I knew he wouldn't care. I knew he would be happy as long as I was happy. "Because I didn't think it was a huge deal. AJ told me I needed to tell you though. I was worried about what you'd think."
    "Your mother, she too was in a similar situation."
     "Dad?!" I exclaimed. My mother was gay? I knew she died because of complications with her second pregnancy, but I didn't think that she was gay. How come I was just finding out? Was this why daddy never talked about her?
    "We'll keep it out of the public eye, of course. Just like with your mother. Of course, your grandfather, he passed shortly after your mother, told the public. I lost support from voters, so I didn't get to be mayor, but I still love you."
    "Great. I didn't know mom was like me. It's a shock, but..."
    "AJ supports you, I assume."
    "Of course?" I wasn't sure if he meant whether AJ supported me telling him or something else.
    "Good. How far along are you? Are you keeping it?"
    "Excuse me?" What the hell was he taking about?
    "The baby. AJ got you pregnant." He stated, plain and simple.
    "What?! No. Daddy, AJ's a girl."
    "So... you're... you're gay? Or a lesbian? What the fudge Hazel? I thought you were pregnant. We could hide the fact that you were unmarried for voters, but this? Do you want me to lose the votes?"
    "Gee, I'm sorry! Wait... you said you like mom. Did you do that to her? Hide the fact that she was pregnant with me? That's a scumbag thing to do."

     "Scumbag? You're dating a girl! I want to be mayor!" He was screaming like a toddler. "I want votes! Look, if you were pregnant and a slut, we could hide that. This? are you trying to make me be ashamed?"
     "You're ashamed? Are you kissing? Do you honestly wish I was some sort of slut who was giving it away rather than be gay? I'm in a loving, committed relationship. Look, I thought you'd support me! You're suppose to be my father and love me no matter what!"
    "I want that fudging mayor position! You made me not get it! I want it. I don't care if this is a phase-"
    "Phase? I love her. This isn't a phase."
    "I don't care. Hide it."
     "No! I love AJ."
     "No, you're getting revenge. Your mother died because I wanted a baby and you're mad. You  didn't have any strong female role models or some sort of bullsugar."
     "I hate you! I want my dad's support and you tell me that?" I felt tears coming. This was too much to take in. Too much.
     "Get out then. Don't come back here. You hate me? Get out. I'll disown you."
     "Dad, please." I said crying. "Daddy."
     "Get out. GO!"
     I turned and began running. I couldn't believe he was doing this to me. I thought he loved me. I thought he supported me no matter what. I wished I didn't care. I did, though. I was going to move on. Dad kicked me out, fine. I was never coming back to him. He thought he could say something like that and apologize or buy me back? No. I was independent now. I was twenty years old, my best friend ran off to college, my girlfriend thought this was a good idea, and I was independent now. I would survive. I would thrive. I would save the planet and not need a damn father or anyone helping me. I had a bank account. I would buy a home and get a job. I don't need my father.

6.13: Best Friends

NOTE: I forgot to mention in the last chapter, from now on the rest of the generation will be told in Hazel's Point of view, unless otherwise stated. Thanks for reading. ☺

   "Wow, this is your room?" Marco gasped. I invited Marco over to play with me. It was raining though, so we came to my playroom. Daddy was working today and he said I could have friends over. I didn't tell him that my friend, my only friend, was a boy. I don't think dad would care, though.
   "No," I smiled at him, "It's my playroom. My bedroom is upstairs."
   "But you have so many toys!"

   "Daddy feels bad, so he spoils me. See, like my ballet group preformed a dance for the mother's, so instead of dad coming and watching without mom, he gave me a rocking horse."
   "So you get all this stuff?"
   "Cause he feels bad for not seeing me."
    "How did you get the tree house?" Marco pointed out the window to my tree house that was sitting on the far comer of the house land.
    "That' a good story. See, I won student of the year. Ya know our teacher from third grade?"
  "Yeah! She always wore this icky earrings."
  "Uh huh, they were weird. I wonder who got them for her. But anyway, she nominated me for Washington State Student of the Year."
 "Really? Why didn't you tell me?"
 "Cause, after I won, dad would have to drive me up to the capital to receive the award. Miss. Icky Earrings offered to drive me, but dad told her he didn't trust anyone with his baby girl. So I didn't win."
   "That sucks. I'm sorry Hazel." He looked down at his toes. I wonder what he was thinking.
   "It's okay." I shrugged. "Daddy doesn't show up for a lot of my stuff anyways."
  "At least you have toys."

  "But dad doesn't play with me. I want him to be hear. I'd give up my playroom if he would come home earlier than seven and play dolls with me."
 "I'll play with you."
 "Thank you Marco." We hugged each other. Marco was my friend and even if daddy didn't bother showing up to my things or playing with me, I would have Marco to play with. I liked playing games with Marco, he always had the best ideas.
   "What do you want to do now?"
   "We could play checkers or go fish, or dolls, or dress up, or color, or read." I suggested, pointing to each of the things I said as I said them. I guess that was the bonus of having a guilt ridden no show dad. He spoiled you and it made for an awesome time when you had friends over.
   "Can I ride the horse?"
   "Yeah! I'll decorate my dolly house. I got it for my eleventh birthday last month."

   "Cool." He ran over to the pink horsey and hopped on. The only drawback of daddy always giving me things but not knowing me was he didn't know that I loved the colors blue and green, not pink. I can't complain though, I'm lucky to have my toys.
   "La, la, la." I began humming. Marco sat on the horse rocking back and fourth. He was pretending to be a cowboy that was catching the bad guys. I was decorating my doll house like a spaceship. I covered all the beds in foil and painted my doll's gymnast jumpsuit in silver shiny paint. She was going to go to the moon and look around. I didn't like all the dolls that came with singer, baby doctor, actress, teacher, ballet dancer,  gymnast careers that came with the dolls. Even the careers that people think are meant for boys are sometimes used for the dolls, but the clothes are pink and glittery. Why does it matter if my doll wears a white lab coat, khakis, and a simple blue shirt? Why does she have to covered in pink?

   "Wanna play in the tree house?" Marco asked, climbing off the horse.
   "It's raining. We'll get wet."
   "Okay, later?"
   "Yeah, later. What now? Oh! Dress up! Daddy got me a dress up chest."
   "Let's play."
   "Okay." We both ran to the chest. "You can be a dinosaur, or a princess, or a prince, or an astronaut." I told him, holding up the outfits.
   "I wanna be the prince." He said, grabbing the costume and slipping it over his clothes.
   "I wanna be the astronaut."  I held up the orange outfit.
    "But there weren't astronauts back in the knight and horses and prices time period."
    "Fine. I'll be the princess, but I still think an astronaut is better."'
    "Okay. Hey, you wanna help me catch the bad guys?"
    "Sure."

    "Follow me!" He cried, dashing off around the living room. "Look, a bandit! Stop him Hazel." He pointed at the couch, which I jumped on. I grabbed a pillow and hit the air. When Marco smiled and gave me a thumbs up, I knew I had got them.
    "Marco, it isn't raining." I glanced out the window. "Quick, follow me! The evil dragon's coming!" I pushed open the front and ran to my trampoline. Marco followed me and we both hopped on. "Bounce above the flames, bounce above the flames!"We bounced on the trampoline, avoiding the dragon's flames until the light started to fade. The sun was setting.
   "Hazel, my mom's here." He climbed off the trampoline, taking off the blue vest.
   "Can you come over tomorrow?"
   "I have to go back to school shopping. School starts Monday. Can you believe we're going to be in fifth grade? Fifth grade! Next year we'll be in middle school."
    "I know... I just want someone to play with Marco."
    "I'll play with you at school. I like you Hazel." He smiled, blushing a little.
    "I like you too, Marco."
    "That's cause we're best friends."
    "I like being best friends. "
    "Me too." He smiled. His mother honked her horn again and soon he was  sitting in the backseat.
    "Bye!" I waved, until I could no longer see his car. Marco and I were best friends and best friends were forever. I'm glad that I have someone to play with, cause daddy doesn't show. Marco and I will always be there to play with each other when someone needs someone else. Marco and I are friends.
    I sat outside a little longer, enjoying the evening. I love nature. It's pretty and peaceful and powerful. Nature sits there and lets you tell it stories. It listens. It protects us and we have to protect it. I want to help protect nature. When I didn't have Marco to talk to, I talked to nature. I want to protect nature and the animals and plants; everything. Marco's my friend and he'll help me protect my other friend: Mother Earth.

6.12: Family Gatherings

 

   I  sat here quietly. I didn't talk loudly. I stood here alone, gasping for air. Her coffin was closed, just like her memories. After my birthday we couldn't put it off anymore. The flowers and gifts used to send off surrounded the casket. I was never going to see her face again. Didn't know what was happening, but I knew it was bad. Mommy was gone. Daddy was crying. Strangers who were suppose to be family hugged me. My aunt Connie, great-grandma Holly, a bunch of great-uncles I'd never met who just got outta jail. My mom's family was here for a reunion.

  It was my turn to see the casket. I walked up and cried a little, saying goodbye. There wasn't a smaller one, cause daddy said it would be too sad. This was mommy's new stone home. I didn't get it, but I was just five. Having to say goodbye to mommy before she finished that story.

   Aunt Connie talked to Great Grammy Holly. She said she was sad she didn't get to see her sister more. I haven't ever met Connie before, but she's famous and has been in movies. I didn't get why everyone was whispering and pointing to me. Saying poor child. I'm not that poor. Mommy's just gone. I miss her. I love mommy. I asked daddy when she'd come home, but he said she couldn't cause she was gone. Gone. Gone. People say that a lot when your mommy is in a casket and you're forced to dress in black.

   Everyone stood, ready for daddy's speech. He talked about how it was too soon. How it wasn't fair. How at twenty-three mommy was gone. I didn't like her being gone. Gone. Gone. We stood, hugging and crying. He said that the baby wasn't able to be saved. That a lost a sibling. Everything was unfair. He talked and he talked, until it was over. People began leaving, slowly and slower. They all said I love you and kissed my cheek.

   Now there was only one left. My great-grandpa Parker here to say bye-bye to his granddaughter. He sat here quiet, not crying or anything. Soon it was time to bury her and he left. Everybody was gone, just like mommy was. Daddy began folding up chairs and I helped. Everyone was gone.

6.11: End of Life

NOTE: The play center was made by InvisibleLyndz and edited by yasukie7270 and can be downloaded here.

   "Can you believe it Hazel?" I asked her as we began walking down the sidewalk. "Daddy's been playing with you more. He takes you to the park every Saturday and everything!"
   "It's fun." Even tough I couldn't see her face, I could tell that she was smiling.  After my deal with Booker, he transformed into father of the year. He bought Hazel knick-knacks and was an affectionate daddy, always hugging her and playing patty cake with her. I wasn't planning another child until I was at least twenty-five, but I was glad that Booker was acting better. If a baby was what it would take, I was willing to grow out family.
    "And you're talking like a big girl!" I exclaimed. Hazel was talking better, she was now saying complete words and not cutting out syllables. I was proud of how much progress my baby girl had made, Booker was shocked beyond belief. He assumed that he'd have to hire someone to fix her speech when in reality all it took was time. Seeing Booker's shocked face was the most hilarious thing I'd seen in months.

   "And now that you're going to be a big sister to a baby boy or girl, life is better than ever." I smiled at the thought of it. Hazel was going to be going to be five in one month, go to kindergarten in three, and be a big sister in four. Booker and I had decided to keep the gender of the baby a secret, since we did with Hazel.
    "I am gonna be a good sister."
    "You will be! You'll play with the baby and read to it."
    "I like reading stories."
    "I do too. reading is fun, isn't it?"
    "Yeah." She laughed. "I read in school."
    "You will."
    "With Marco?"
    "Yeah. With Marco." I talked to Lana Tahan, his mother, and luckily Appaloosa Plains only had one elementary, one middle, and one high school. Since Marco was three weeks older than Hazel, they'd be going into school together.

  "Play center!" She called out. Appaloosa Plains Bright Beginnings was the town's daycare and child fun center. They had mommy-baby groups, maternity yoga, and all sorts of activities. Lana and I had signed up for a mother-toddler sign language class.
  "Ready to sign?"
  "Sign together, sign forever, it's time to sign!" She sang the song that the teacher started each session with.

    I parked the stroller in the stroller parking space and picked up Hazel. We walked- well I walked, she was still into being carried- into the building.
   "Baby is kicking."
   "The baby does that." The first time Hazel felt her younger sibling move inside the womb, she freaked out and thought something was wrong. Luckily, Booker explained to her that there was a baby inside mommy and that everything was okay. "Hello," I greeted the lady at the front desk, "We're here for Signing Class."
    "I'm sorry, it's three-thirty and class ends at three. But Hazel can still play until we close at five."
    "Thanks." I smiled at her, trying to remember her name. Unfortunately I couldn't, so I just turned to the right and walked through the glass sliding doors to the toddler play area.
    "Let's play music."
    "Alrighty." I set her down on the rainbow carpeting, as she toddled to the xylophone.

   "Do, re, mi, la, la, um..." I began singing. I had no idea what came next, luckily Hazel swooped in to save me.
   "Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. And little lamb loved to dance and moo and sing and la, la, la."
   "La, la, la. Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Everywhere that Mary went-"
   "No, mommy! It goes like this, Mary had a little dancing lamb, dancing lamb, dancing lamb. Mary sand and lamby danced, la, la, la."
   We sang and danced for a little while longer, until soon it was closing time. We had to leave and I buckled Hazel back into her stroller, ready for a leisurely stroll home. We missed signing class today, but there would always be tomorrow. I was planning on taking a field trip to the center with my daycare group. I was watching seven kids, not including Hazel now.
  When we got home, I began reading a new story to Hazel. It was a new, recently published one. One of the mothers of the kids I watched was an author who wrote motivational stories about a kite. Yes, it was a little... interesting. Unique, but the mother gave them to be for free if I agreed to strongly recommend the picture book to the other parents. Suddenly I felt something moving in my abdomen. The smell of blood... gasping for air... vision growing fuzzy. "I love you, Hazel." I whispered.

Hazel's POV...

   "Momma... why won't you read? Momma, why are you bleeding? Where's your boo-boo? You kiss my boo-boos and make them better." Momma read to me. Why wasn't she? I looked the pretty pictures, wishing I knew more than just a few words. What was happening to mommy? I stood up, moving to mommy. She had to be okay. Her boo-boo looked bad, though.

   "Wake up!" I screamed. "Read! next-next! Read more."  I leaned down to hug mommy. "Please read? I said please, momma." I felt the red cover me. Why would momma not wake up? Why? I loved momma. She said she loved me. You don't leave when you love. Momma loves me. "Mommy!" I cried. "Wake up. Daddy. Hi." He was going to help mommy wake up.
  "Kayleigh? Hazel? Hazel..." He look sad. He pulled out his phone and began talking to people. "Hi, yes... I don't know how long. Quick! She's pregnant. We need- address. It's," He kept talking and leaned down and sat next to mommy. "Kayleigh, no. I love you. The baby. No... I wanted another. Kayleigh, I'm sorry. I love you. Please." Daddy began crying. Daddy doesn't cry. Daddy's sad.

   Daddy held me. He picked me up as people came to get mommy. They took her away as daddy sat and cried while holding me. I got red all over him, but still he cried. Mommy was gone with the people and daddy buckled me into the car as he kept crying. Why was he crying? Should I be crying? I love mommy.

6.10: Mending Relationships

   "And the little piggy said oink, oink, oink!" I read from the storybook. Hazel sat next to me on the floor, clapping her hands every time I turned the page to the nest set of colorful pictures. She loved it when I read her stories. "Can you say oink?" I smiled widely, speaking in a sing-songy voice.
   "Oinky! Hehe, me piggy." She giggled. Hazel was a very happy toddler, always smiling and laughing. The last child's parent had just come to pick them up and after a day of playing with other people's children, it was time for me to play with my own.
   "Yeah, piggies oink!"
   "Nex-nex." She pointed at the book. Nex-nex, meaning next-next was what she said when she wanted me to read more.
   "The little piggy took his backpack and skipped down the road, singing as he when. This piggy wanted to build a home very fast, so when he saw a squirrel selling a wheelbarrow of sticks he bought them."
   "Why he buy dem? Sticky breaks. Me see Marco breaky stick!"
   "The little wanted to build his home fast so he could go watch TV." I quickly said.
   "Teh-veet. Why he want teh-veet?" She was a creative, happy toddler who questioned absolutely everything. I, much to Booker's displeasure had refused to put a TV in the house. I wasn't against them, I was just worried that parents would think that the TV was the babysitter, not me.
   "Let's read to find out. Yeah, you wanna read more?"
   "Nex-nex."
   "After the first little piggy bought sticks, he went to the meadow to build his home."
   "Meadow? What at?"
   "A meadow is a grassy space! And it's pretty and has flowers."
   "Marco and me draw flowers one day! It fa mommas day and he give it to his mama and me give et to you! It pwetty."
   "Yes, it's pretty!" I smiled and nodded. "Now once the little piggy finished building his home-"
  "Kayleigh." I glanced up from the book. Booker was standing their in his suit and tie.
  "Booker, hey. Hazel can you say hello to daddy?"
  "Hwelloy!" She smiled, waving her hand at him. "Me and momma reading bookie!"
  "You are? Wow." He said in a boring monotone. He wasn't that good at the pretend to be enthusiastic 24/7 part of parenting. "Kayleigh, we need to talk." He began impatiently tapping his foot. He did that often, as if to let me know that I wasn't responding quick enough.
  "Can we finish this story first?"
  "Please?"
  "Fine." I rolled my eyes. Booker always thought his needs were more important than anything involving his daughter. I closed the book, setting it on the couch. Hazel and I would finish it later, probably at her bedtime or tomorrow when we had story time at the daycare.
  "Nex-nex." Hazel cried out, reaching for the story. I picked her up, patting her back.
  "Did you teach out daughter to say sex-sex?" His nostrils flared out. I rolled my eyes for the second time in a row. What type of parent did he believe I was?
  "Noooo." I drew out the word. "But you just did. See, she says nex-nex, it means next-next, when she wants me to read more."
   "Oh. Well, we should get her a speech pathologist to fix that issue." What the hell? Was he being serious?
   "Yeah, a four year old needs a speech problem." I sarcastically said. "You realize most children, no most toddlers, don't speak like they will when they're an adult. She'll learn how to say next soon."
   "I just want my child to be perfect."
   "Your child? YOUR child? Excuse me, you're here a couple hours, you don't talk to her and you call her your child? One, she's ours, two if she was one of ours, it'd be mine. The one who bother teaching her how to walk and talk and potty trains her."
   "This is what I need to talk to you about. Can Hazel go someplace else?"
   "I need to keep an eye on her."
   "She'll be fine in the daycare room."
   "Okay." I sighed. "Mommy will read to you later, okay?" I smiled as I set her down on the ground. She began toddling off.
   "Buhdozer! Buhdozer."
   "Yeah." Booker nodded. :Go to the playroom."
   "Booker, she wants her bulldozer."
   "Bulldozer? Kayleigh, she's a girl."
   "Excuse me, I didn't realize that females couldn't play with toys shaped like trucks."
   "Not to be sexist, but shouldn't she have a princess doll?"
   "You're lucky that Hazel here or I would slap you. Now go give her her bulldozer."
   "Bulldozer for my fudging daughter." He muttered under his breath. He walked over to the desk, though and handed Hazel her toy. She waddled off to the playroom and began playing and saying things only she understood.
   "What did you want to talk about?" I asked, as we walked over to the bench.
   "I'm sorry." He said, as he sat next to me. "I've been horrible. I know I'm focused on my work, but ever since I lost the campaign for mayor, I've felt lost."
   "You have a daughter, Booker. I wouldn't mind as much if it wasn't for the fact that Hazel barely knows you. I want you two to have a good relationship."
   "Things will get better. I know I haven't been as involved with Hazel as I either of us wanted, but I want to start over."
   "Start over? What does that even mean? Are you leaving me? Because I swear if you are, I'm still keeping the house. And you're paying Hazel's therapy bills when she turns into a father hating revenge wanting teenager."
    "I'm not leaving you."
    "Good... because trust me, it would hurt you more."
    "I love you."
    "I..." I took a deep breath. I loved Booker, but damn was he such a sugar head sometimes. "I love you, too. But dammit Booker, act like a daddy."
   "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Kayleigh. I want another baby. I messed up with Hazel, but I swear I'll do better if we have another baby. Hazel will be turning five soon and she'll be going to elementary school. Kindergarten. You won't have a baby at home, other than the ones you watch." He had a good point. I loved children and I loved be able to watch other peoples kids and mine at the same time. I think being able to watch my own children let be better, because I wanted the best care for my kids and I knew all the other parents did too.
    "Booker, I don't know. I love children..."
    "Think about it. Please? I want to be a better father."
    "Okay."
    "Really?"
    "One condition. We start couples therapy after the baby is born. You can't work weekends or past six pm. It doens't matter what gender we have, if it's a boy he can play with princesses and take ballet and if it's a girl, she can play football and with trucks. No gender stereotypes. No 'that's for boys' or 'that's too girly'. Think you can do that?"
    "I know I can."
    "Hazel's going to be a big sister soon." I whispered, as Booker began kissing me. He started on my lips and worked his way down my neck. "Booker. Hazel is in the other room. Later."
    "Now." He whispered back, his hand moving slowly down my back, pulling at the edges of my mommy-stylish dress.
    "Oh!" I exclaimed, as I felt his hand moving around. "Booker." I moaned. "Baby in the other room."
    "I know. She can't see under your dress, can she?"
    "Let's go upstairs... shower."
    "Yep."  We stood up, hurrying to the upstairs bathroom. I grabbed a baby monitor, glad that one was in the daycare playroom. Booker and I were about to promote Hazel to big sister.

6.9: A Year and A Half

Hazel's POV...

   Me year half old. Mommy watches babies. They come home. I play with toys and them. Me sitting
in playpen. Mama tickle girl who been crying cause she want her mama and dada. Marco playing with toy. Bulldoza. Bull-do-zer. Mama says word is pieces. Bull-do-zer. Me talking some.

  Me stay with mama during the day, dada go bye bye to workie. He come back at end of day. Marco and me plays. Me like Marco. He nice. We play fun with each other.
   Mama take care of Cattie. She don't like me call her Cattie, cause she say Cat her name even if that an animal. Mama play with us everyday. Me, Marco, Cattie. It fun. Very fun. She teachie me to walkie, just like she teach Cattie now. Mama muttered something bout Cattie being daughta of Grace. Me don't know about Grace, but Mama scared she mess up with Cattie and Grace mad. Mama said Grace in Africa or somethin and Cattie being watched by milk man when she not seeing Cattie. Then she say Grace a horse or horror or horn or something that sounds like it begins with H.

  Hehe. Haha. Marco spit up on self. He funny. He eat applesauce. He funny, me likes him. Mommy have to give him bath. She gimme a bath, too. Only not in front of people. I like spending day with Marco. Me friends. Mama laughs and smiles when she watches us. She don't with daddy. That okay, cause me laughs, giggles, smile for her.

   Marco done with bath. Cat sitting in toy box, playing with doll. Me in playpen. Marco pointing to me and playpen. I play with mirror on side. It fun game. Marco funner, though.
   "You want in playpen?" Mommy ask Marco. Mama talk different to me and tots. She talk different to Dada. "Yeah, you want in playpen?"
   "Hay-zee-elle!" Marco pointed at me. "We play to-get-a."
   "Yeah, you play together. Yes you do! Oh, yes you do!" She smile, put Marco in playpen with me.
   "What you want to play?" I ask Marco.
   "Peek-a-boo!"
   "Peek-a-boo! Hehe. Fun, fun!"  I shrieky. Marco and I play lot and lot, then momma say that it time to go bye-bye and that the other mommy and daddies her to picky upy the baby angels. She laugh and smile and take money they give to mama.

  "Bye-bye Marco!" I shouty.
  "Hehe bye Hazel!" He smile and wave at me. This how my life go for day and day and day. Yeah, me likey it. Marco me play and have fun. I wanna spend day with him playing. Marco don't come some days. He don't come the days daddy not at work. Mama say it the weekedns. I likey weekdays betta. I like Marco betta.