Holt - Advancement

Life continued normally for the Holt clan. Though their lives were often busy, they made time to at least eat together. Eumelia said eating together was enough to form deep bonds. Karl enjoyed it. He rarely got to see his uncle during the day, his aunt was constantly cleaning and his mother was often too busy with her boyfriends. It was nice, having dinner together. It was nice.

Owen loved being with his nephew but there was much work to do. What good was he to Karl if he couldn't bring in a decent paycheque? He wanted to get a promotion, so he could give the small boy all the things he had as a child. If he had to sacrifice bonding time, so be it. It was for the greater good.

Eumelia understood his reasoning. But there were was to do his job and still be active in Karl's life. Wanting to get in shape herself, Eumelia worked out in the living room. Through her pants and groans, she carried on a conversation with Karl as he painted in the next room. His art was getting better and better each day, as he developed a love for it from his friend Hayate. Eumelia wanted to nuture his love for it. It would bring him happiness and wealth someday.

But his drive was less than desirable sometimes. Karl had a hard time getting up for school in the mornings. His mother was not a good example, sleeping in well until noon. Eumelia often had to shake them both awake. Both had awful tempers about it too.

Karl only enjoyed school because Hayate was there. Karl hadn't made many friends since moving to New Lanshire, aside from Hayate. The two were best friends and Hayate was always coming over. Eumelia didn't mind his visits. He was a sweet boy. But his father often came with him and she often found her tongue tied...by his own.

Eumelia hadn't made many friends either. But she too had a close friend. Teresita Loyola was a rather kind woman who Eumelia had befriended after seeing her taking a walk. Recently, Teresita had stopped coming by to visit and Eumelia grew concerned. Teresita was a naturally quiet person but she at least called or emailed Eumelia a few times a week. So Eumelia finally called her friend and asked her to come over, to make sure she was okay. She was quite surprised by what she saw.

She was shocked when Teresita told her she was pregnant. "Who is the father?" She asked curiously. Teresita hadn't mentioned any men in her life. The mother-to-be searched for her words, as Eumelia rubbed her belly happily.
"That's where it gets a bit weird..."

Eumelia was shocked, no doubt. She told Lorelle about it but she brushed it off as nonsense. What did she care about a magic baby? She had better things to do, like slowly corrupting the male species. Her sweet words and sizzling touch was enough to turn rowdy frat boys into bumbling dorks.

Sometimes, they even rewarded her art. Quite a few times, her dates left more than a letter or roses. One even left a pinball machine. She wasn't QUITE sure how he got it to her house but she didn't care. SHE HAD A PINBALL MACHINE!

Pinball machines were nice but Owen was beginning to feel the pressure of being surrounded by two women and a child. Sure, he wanted to have kids someday but the house was so suffocating and everything was on his shoulders. How long would he have to stay here?

He wanted to make a life with Marylena. He even went out with his extra cash and bought a beautiful engagement ring. He had planned on engaging to her at a beautiful resturant but Lorelle had so graciously taken all the money and blew it on a new computer. But Marylena still accepted. The marriage was far off, though. Owen told her he had to make sure the girls would be fine without him first.

Eumelia was happy for her brother. He deserved happiness. But Lorelle was less than pleased. "What do you mean I have to get a job!?"
"Owen needs to move out and build a life with Marylena. Obviously, one of us needs to make the money now. Now, we all know I'm more of the domestic one so that leaves you."
"But....but..."
"Do you want us out on the street, Lorelle?"
"...No..."

So Lorelle finally bunkered down and got a job as a golf caddy. She didn't enjoy it. She had to wake up early. Like, really early. Oh, she tried to sleep in. She never bought an alarm clock. But she assumed Eumelia made a deal with Karl, as each morning he'd come into her room and wake her up by playing on her computer.

With his sister getting a job and earning money of her own, Owen felt a bit better about leaving them behind. So he packed up his personal belongings and left the rest to be sold to help them. "I'll call you girls once I'm in my new place, alright?" He told them before getting inside the taxi.

Karl missed his uncle. He was the only male influence he had. But his mom bought him a new toy chest to keep him occupied. Aunt Eumelia had agreed to its purchase but that was before she realized what a mess he'd make by not putting the toys back.

Like she was one to talk. She was making a mess of her own. She could not decide who to love. Karl knew this. He often saw her making out with Hayate's father but on a few occasions, she was doing the same with Mr. Collins. Eumelia's heart was so confused. Derick was the type of man one married. Ryouichi was the type of man one WISHED one could marry.

Lorelle was confused as well. Eumelia had no idea, of course, that she was also seeing Ryouichi but one day, she swore she saw her kissing Derick's father. Talk about gross!

Bates - Priorities

"Why does it matter if I don't get As?!" Hersilia growled as she took a peak at her report card once she stepped off the bus. Her grandfather made it clear, he was expecting exceptional grades. She didn't know why it was so important to him. Grades weren't everything. Hersilia had better things to do with her time. She couldn't constantly be studying. That was just boring. Life was supposed to be much more.

She stuffed the report card under a pile of bills. She'd worry about them later. Right now, her duties were to her friend Sophie. The poor girl was distraught over her appearance. Hersilia couldn't blame her. Her hair was styled in strange cups and it just looked weird. So Hersilia led her into her bedroom and sat her in front of the vanity. There, she worked hard to straighten Sophie's hair out until she was able to form a chic new style. "There!" She said triumphantly, "Now you look perfect! ...Well...not quite. Consider wearing something less...nausea-inducing."

She had to send Sophie home when her grandfather returned from work, though. He found her report card and needless to say, he was not happy. "Why can't you be more like your sister?" He asked, exhausted. Hersilia crossed her arms and shrugged. "No answer? Fine. Why don't you go do your homework? Better yet, do it in front of Melitta. That way, I know you are actually doing it." Hersilia was going to protest but clamped her mouth shut when she realized it was useless. Then she took her homework and wandered into her sister's room.

She really hated her sister. Melitta was the golden child. She always got good grades. Orion was so proud of her. He told everyone he could about her. "That's right, she got all As. Melitta is just like her mother, a smart little cookie!"
"How wonderful! Hayate got all As too. Perhaps we should introduce them?"
"Oh, that sounds good. Melitta would want friends of her own intelligence, right, dear?"
"Uh...sure, Grandpa."

And she would. While Melitta was the top of her class, she envied Hersilia for her ability to make friends. Since moving to New Lanshire, Melitta hadn't made any friends at all. She didn't know why. She was a nice enough person, right? Her only friends exsisted on the internet, so that's where she spent most of her time. It was a bit sad but it was all she had.

"Cheer up!" Hersilia would tell Melitta when she got too depressed, "You'll make friends! We just moved here. Don't worry so much." Despite having differences, the sisters really did love each other. Hersilia didn't enjoy seeing her sister so down in the dumps. So she promised to help her find friends.

Of course, most of the potential friends didn't work out. She introduced guys to Melitta, only to have them making the moves on her. She was a young girl who was just beginning to explore, so she didn't resist it. So this one guy wasn't into Melitta. Big deal. Hersilia would still find her someone...after her date.

Orion wanted to help Melitta as well. But he had other priorities. His job often had him out late. He worked very hard, though Melitta's part time job as a waterperson helped out greatly. He still had to bring in the money to pay the bills. But he missed his granddaughters. He wasn't sure they were ready to be left on their own.

They felt differently. Hersilia and Melitta proved themselves worthy by inviting the headmaster of the private school over for dinner, in hopes of entering his prestigious school. They couldn't afford the tuition but they heard that if the headmaster grew to like a family, he made exceptions. Melitta prepared a salmon dinner while Hersilia put her charismatic ability to good use. Despite their humble home, the headmaster was impressed and accepted the girls. From today on, their lives would change. They just knew it.

Loyola - Other Worldly

Life went as it always did. Despite being quite ill, Loyola continued to work. She had to, after all. It was just her and she had bills to pay. Though she was urged to take some time off to rest up, she couldn't. She didn't want to fall too behind and she was so close to a promotion. Soon, these bills would be no problem and she would be able to take off work. But for now, she had to grit her teeth and bare through it.

But her illness was very draining. She always felt so tired. She would be forced to crawl into bed early into the night. Still, sleep was the best medicine for her. A few days later, she felt normal. She supposed all the sleep helped nurse her body back to health. For that, she was grateful.

She began taking up stargazing again. It was a calm, peaceful activity. She'd spend hours on the roof, finding constellations and looking at planets. While she was watching the stars, someone was watching her. She hadn't seen them until they struck. Suddenly, she was covered in a blue light. She looked up, blinded by the brightness. In moments, she was being lifted off her feet and then everything got dark.

Next thing she knew, she was being hurled to the ground. She landed surprisingly safely. She just skid her knees. She rose to her feet and rubbed her lower back in pain. Then she looked around. There, hovering behind her...was it? No, it couldn't be. ...Right?

She thought nothing of it until the signs came. So it was! Aliens! Aliens had abducted her and impregnated her! At first, she was happy. She had always had a fascination with aliens. She also wanted children someday but knew that it was unlikely, due to her inability to attract the opposite sex. But then reality set in. Would anyone actually believe her if she told them what happened?

She was sure, though, when she was carrying a green baby that they would. The proof was in the pudding, after all. Teresita felt a change come over her. She used her saved earnings to renovate the flat, adding a nursery to accommodate the future baby. She couldn't wait to be a mother.

Derick was one of the first people she told about it. He believed her, of course. He knew there were aliens out there and he was as excited as she was. "An alien child?! How glorious!" He exclaimed and insisted upon taking Teresita out to dinner to celebrate. She knew she could trust him with this information. Derick was a kind man, he truly was.

She wondered, how would he react if she asked him to be the father to her otherworldly offspring? Teresita wasn't sure if she could be a single mother. Derick had experience raising children. Surely, he could help her. She kept her thoughts to herself, though. As sweet as he was to her, she knew his heart belonged to Eumelia Holt. That woman didn't deserve him though.

Derick was too good a man to be wasted on someone who didn't even want him.

Saito - Approval

The Holt sisters were Ryouichi's current favorite playmates. The two of them were both gorgeous but different. Lorelle was the type of girl he could take out on the town and she'd make him dance well into the morning. Eumelia was the girl he could bring home and slink into bed with. He was driven mad by their red hair and dark blue eyes. And he knew for a fact that he drove them mad as well.

Yuzuki wished her son had a bit more respect for women. She really did, despite her silence on the subject. Didn't he want a long-lasting love like the one she shared with her husband? She couldn't bare the thought of waking up next to anyone else. Rokurou had been by her side for eternity, it had seemed. Her son's amorous ways just didn't leave way for true romance. How could he be happy with that?

Hayate didn't really mind what his father did. Or rather, he didn't have much time to. He was a very focused boy and blocked out most of what went on in the house, in an effort to keep to his studies, His mother always preached about working hard to become someone worthy of respect and he wanted to make her proud, wherever she was.

He made his grandparents proud, he knew that. He was a quiet boy who kept to himself mostly, painting or reading. But he always helped out with the chores, taking out the trash and loading the dishwasher. His grandmother boasted of his helpful deeds to her husband and to any neighbors who listened.

Hayate often wished his dad was as proud. After receiving his report card and showing it to his happy grandparents, he rushed into his father's room for his approval. But his father was preoccupied with Karl's mother. "That's nice, Hayate, now go away. Daddy is busy with Miss Holt." Hayate sighed and walked out, his tiny fingers clinging to his A+.

Yuzuki didn't need her son's approval for anything and soon, Hayate would learn that too. Yuzuki entered a cooking contest of her own desire and she won. She was proud and shared her winnings with her husband and Hayate. But Ryouichi would get none of it. He wouldn't even get a piece of the turkey that won.

While at the contest, Yuzuki met up with many of people. One of the people she met ran the art school in town and they got into a conversation about Hayate. The woman agreed to meet with him and see if he had what it took to be a true artist. She observed him for several hours before rising from her seat and giving him a membership to her school. "You'll fit in quite nicely."

Meanwhile, Yuzuki got to know her neighbors a bit more. "Did you hear? The girl in the red house is looking for aliens! Aliens!"

Collins - Hot N' Cold

Derick was happy for his son. He was getting his life where he wanted it to be. He had recieved some scholarships to college and was preparing for the big move. It was some time off, but Derick was still worried. The college was located on the mountain and he was worried. Tyreek wasn't a very good driver. Would he be able to make it up safetly?

Tyreek didn't care how he got there. He just wanted to get there. He worked hard on all his studies to ensure his place. His father and grandfather never got the chance to attend a college. He'd be the first in his family to get a higher education. He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.

While he stayed home to work on homework, his father and grandfather went to South Lanshire for a little fun. They met up with a friend of Jerald's, Orion Bates, and held a little poker match. The game was made even better when Eumelia Holt took to the karaoke machine, providing a sweet soundtrack.

Derick was never a good gambling man. So he eventually folded and left the game. He approached Emuelia and listened to her sing. She paused in the middle of a song and asked him if he'd like to join her. He was never the best singer but she seemed hopeful, so he accepted. He had to admit, he had a bit of a crush on Eumelia...

After their song, he felt bold. He tried to be as subtle as possible but his motives were easily detected. "Oh...Derick, I'm not..." She tried to explain as carefully as she could. He lowered his head.
"No, it's fine. I should have known."
"I like you as a friend, a good friend. Okay?"
"Of course."

Jerald was a bit more skilled in the art of romance. He had phoned up the match maker, hoping she'd help him find the perfect woman. But after he saw her, he realized he didn't need her services. He needed her. She was surprised but flattered and the two began seeing each other casually.

Derick had been pushed by both his son and father to invite Eumelia over and talk about the previous night. He did so, reluctantly. He prepared what he was going to say. But in a moment, it was all gone from his mind. He wasn't expecting what Eumelia did. When she pulled away, he just stared and she blushed. "I...sorta just felt like it needed to be done..." She whispered as she went into the house. Derick followed loyally, not questioning it.

His life was just full of surprises. Perhaps his mind was too focused on Eumelia and their kiss. In any case, it wasn't focused on his work. As a result, he was fired. It was a devestating blow to him. He was the only source of income for the family, after all.

He was able to get his job back but he needed severe cheering up. So he called Eumelia and invited her out for a date in South Lanshire. She accepted and he treated her to dinner at the bowling alley. Seeing her gentle face made him feel so much better.

But once again, she was sending him mixed signals. It was as if she didn't even recall the kiss happening. Why was she acting like this? One minute, she was saying they were only friends and that she didn't feel that way. The next, she was sliding her tongue down his throat. Women were so difficult. It had been a long time since his wife passed away. Had he really forgotten how easily a woman's mind changed?

Jerald had seen it all. He had come to the bowling alley as well and he overheard the discussion. He had a good idea as to why she was so resistant. Talk on the street was she was seeing someone else. He had heard she was seeing one of their neighbors, a man named Ryouichi. He wasn't sure what to tell Derick. For now, he'd say nothing.

But he was still very worried about his son. Very worried indeed.