Generation 1, Chapter 12: I'm terrified of growing old

Friday evening, and things are really jolly tonight... Well, it's jolly to us, but probably not to other people. For once, Kaylin and I are doing something together as mother and daughter. Sadly, that "something" is watching movies in Kaylin's room.

"Kaylin, honestly, we've watched this movie a hundred times before - why do you feel the need to watch it again?" I groan, my mouth angled right against the covers which causes my question to come out sounding muffled.

"Because it's a classic," Kaylin states, still engorged in the film. "And because you wanted to watch something with me, and this was the only thing I had available."

A soft tap against the door grabs Kaylin's attention, and she sighs. "It seems we might have a visitor tonight!" With a lazy attitude, she gets up to open the door, which allows Bridget to crawl into the room.

"Aww, sweetie, are you tired?" I smile to my youngest daughter, who's staring at me with big, beautiful blue eyes. She stubbornly shakes her head, to which Kaylin and I both sigh.

"This is gonna be a long night," Kaylin comments.

I scoop my little angel into my arm, tickling her stomach till giggles erupt from her. It's the first step to tiring this toddler out. The second step would be to play with her till she passes out, but luckily, I can skip this step - for her birthday, Alex got her a cute, new swing, that might put her to sleep for tonight.

For the rest of the evening, I act like a clown, and if I was in the presence of normal people, my reputation would have been done for. Bridget cackles loudly at any face I pull, which shows you just how tired she actually is.

"Are you starting to see the sheep that are riding on a rainbow, on their way to fetch you and take you away to LaLa Land?" I coo. Bridget gives a sluggish nod, and her eyes start to droop. "Alrighty, then, sweetie. Just rest your head against of the sheep's warm fur coat, and you'll have the most wonderful dreams."

And with that, Bridget drifts off to sleep, and I head to bed, exhausted.

After a whole night of tossing and turning, without getting too much sleep, I get up early and freshen up for the day ahead. The first thing I do is knock at Keegan's door, as he planned to go to a friend's house today.

"Keegan, if you don't open this door in five seconds, I'm gonna barge in there and...," I don't finish my threat, and stand back to count the seconds. After exactly five seconds, I open the door...

...And find out my boy is still fast asleep.

Grabbing the remote off of his cupboard, I switch the TV on, and skip till I find the music channel, turning the volume loud enough to wake the entire household. And possibly the neighbors as well.

"Like, seriously mom, I'm trying to sleep here," Keegan points out in a monotone voice.

"That much I noticed. Now, get up, go shower and get dressed. I don't think your friend would like seeing you in your PJ's."

There's no need to wake Kaylin, as she's up and dressed early for her first riding lesson with Odyssey. As much as Kaylin loves pets, she doesn't seem too skilled at handling them.

"Mom. Help. Me. Please," Kaylin begs, as she tries to mount Odyssey.

"I can't, Kaylin," I mutter. "You have to figure it out for yourself. I did as well, and trust me, I didn't do half as well as you're doing - I did it with heels."

"That kinda makes me feel better," she answers a little more confidently.

Confident or not, terror still manages to creep onto Kaylin's face.

I watch on as Kaylin "confidently" leads Odyssey around the backyard, and laugh when she almost falls off of the horse's back.

"Mom, stop laughing at me! I'm sure you made mistakes like this in your youth," Kaylin grumbles in my direction.

"My youth? Honey, I'm still young!" I frown.

"Sure, sure," she shrugs. "Whatever makes you happy."

That remark stung real deep; it's hard when your children start viewing you as "old".

Alex is nowhere to be seen around the house, so I head to the attic to gather my thoughts, and funnily enough, that's where I find him. His entire demeanor seems...closed, almost hostile.

"Y'know, before leaving the house, Keegan asked if I've spotted any grey hairs on my head yet, seeing as their teacher already has them, and he is supposedly as old as me. That really ruined my day."

"Mine too," I sigh. "Kaylin pretty much confessed to me that she thinks I'm old. And that thought scares me."

That's the biggest thing Alex and I have in common: we're both terrified of growing old. To not be able to play with your kids (or grandkids), run rampant in the streets, dress up in the latest fashions... Those are some of the things that bother me.

Biting back the tears, I hug my husband from behind, and pull him backwards, away from the flames. "It's nature. We can't fight nature. We're gonna get old, die, and there's nothing we can do about it."

A few seconds pass before Alex responds. "There might be something we can do about it."

Alex points at the stairs, and leads me down to the dining room. With a shifty look in his eyes, he pulls out a box from under the table.

"How come I've never noticed that box?" I frown.

"I brought in only yesterday," he explains. He uncovers the lid, and pulls out two flasks filled with steaming, pink liquid.

"This... This could be our future."

"Oh, really? Two 'magical' potions? What do they do? Turn us into ponies for an hour?" I ask sarcastically.

"No. They keep us young forever. Y'see, there's something called a 'Young Again' potion some scientists created in Bridgeport. This is just something more developed - an 'Age Freeze' potion. It could keep us young forever, and we'll never have to die." 

"Are you... Are you serious? Drinking this will grant us eternal life?" I ask, carefully picking the potion up from the table. "We can live forever, without having to become vampires?"

"Yes. That's the greatest part - we don't become abominations, and don't effect  Mother Nature in any way. This is all science."

Hands shaking, I bring the cold bottle to my lips, and chuck it down. The feeling that overwhelms me... I can't describe it. But if I had to, I would say it's like a thousand "pins and needles" pricking at me, all over my body. And goosebumps - I definitely felt those.

Looking over at Alex, I see how much confidence and self assurance he has that the potion will work, and he drinks it without hesitating. A smile pops up on his face.

"I feel different, yet exactly the same. 

What Alex said proves to be right; as I stare at myself in the mirror, I know that I'm somehow different, but I feel and look exactly the same. Only time will tell, whether or not the potion really worked.

"You know, you would look beautiful, even with grey hair," Alex murmurs, and twirls me around to face him. For a long moment he stares into my eyes, and I stare into his.

"But would I look beautiful, even with hundreds of wrinkles, plastered all of over my face?"

"You would. You'll always be a beautiful person to me, Rose, because of your caring personality."

I'm not ashamed to say that I cry as he admits this.

Filled with new joy, I literally skip my way up the stairs to Bridget's room to make sure she's not up to trouble. I softly open the door, and peek in, watching as she's busy playing with a doll.

But it's not just any doll.

It's the accursed "Keegan" doll, complete with the black clothing.

How is it possible that it keeps appearing?!

Will we ever be free of it?

~♥~

Hi there, hope everyone is having an awesome Saturday so far. Thanks for reading this short-but-sweet (hopefully sweet) chapter!

Okay, I have some sad news. The next chapter... Will be the last chapter of this generation. I will be ending it at 13 chapters, for this generation only - the next  few generations will definitely be longer, chapterwise.

I'm gonna explain how it'll work: The story for the next chapter will be narrated out of Kaylin's POV, and I will have done a time skip, to where Bridget is already a teen.

I'm still debating whether or not to put up a poll for the heir vote, but to be honest, I actually want Kaylin to take over as heir.

OH, and for those wondering why on Earth I used those potions... All will be explained at the end of the next chapter.

;)

Generation 1, Chapter 11: A little bit of childishness never hurt anyone - but in this case, it might

All around the house, outside on the beautiful lot we live on, people are having fun. Keegan is having the time of his life on a Seahorse-themed rider, juggling about while riding on it and giggling until he has stomach cramps. Luckily, Alex doesn't mind to take him outside to play - he loves his "golden boy" far too much to be irritated. 

Kaylin has finally re-cooperated from heartache, after she found out that her friend Keegan left the school. Most afternoons, she can be found hanging out with Odyssey, he new best buddy.

And me? Where am I in this harmonious environment?

Well, I'm a day pregnant, and already cranky as hell.

All day long, I've been on my feet, cooking and doing chores while I'm still able to. I'm doing my best not to bother Alex or the kids for help, and trying to conquer the pregnancy hormones (i.e, bossiness, impatience, etc.). But it's HARD, unfortunately. Rather than be a burden on my family, I just curl up on my bed, with the fireplace burning, and rest. But I can't for long - the kids' birthdays are coming up.

After a few hours of luxurious napping, I sneak into Keegan's room to supervise him. Watching him play music brings a smile to my face. I stand there for a few minutes, and later sense when Alex comes into the room, trying his best to be quiet.

"We have a really great boy, don't we," Alex murmurs to me, taking my hand softly into his. "Do you think there's a chance that the new critter will also be a boy? I rather dislike being outnumbered, you know."

"Alex, there's always a chance. But I don't control Mother Nature. We just have to be happy that we will be having another healthy baby."

"I know," Alex sighs. "But it's nice to have boys around, and talk about cars and stuff. You girls just go on about your hair. Or clothes. Or getting a credit card to buy clothes."

All of us don't get much sleep that night, as Kaylin is TOO excited to be aging up, and woke us up at 5:00 AM. The last time I was up that early was when she was a baby! I get the cake set up, while Alex readies his camera to take snapshots of the kid. Kaylin, being the eldest, steps up to her cake first. 

Outside, I am the perfect example of a happy mother, celebrating her daughter's birthday. Huge smile, eyes shining brightly, with no worry appearing on my face whatsoever. But on the inside? The tears are fighting to claw their way out of my eyes, and I have to control my vocal cords, otherwise I might scream; seeing my baby girl age up so quickly frightens me.

"Happy birthday, Kaylin!" I cheer, but as I clap alongside her, I'm secretly thinking differently. Please don't be a rebel teenager.

After a cute ballerina twirl and a reassuring smile full of confidence, my little girl turns into a beautiful teenager. With her mesmerizing eyes and dazzling smile, she is sure to catch the eye of many of her classmates. Kaylin has a peculiar fashion sense, which will definitely make her popular under her group of friends.

"So who will do the honor of blowing out the candles for Keegan?" I ask my husband, who was resisting the temptation to dive into a cake.

"I will," Kaylin unexpectedly chirps in. "So I can tease Keegan when he gets older than I actually held him when he was a toddler!"

Kaylin lowers Keegan close to the cake, where he huffs and puffs to blow out the candle with no success. Subtly, Kaylin blows it out for him, and it results in great cheers from all of us.

Keegan is definitely a quiet and reserved person (his sister describes him as being a "loner"), choosing to rarely speak to voice his opinion on anything. But he does have his social moments, and loves to dance. Most of all, he LOVES his older sister to bits, and she loves him just the same.

The new baby's room

Seeing as Alex and I decided not to find out the baby's gender, we decorated the nursery to be suitable for either gender, and it turns out looking really cute.

Keegan's re-decorated room


Even though Keegan isn't as social as anyone would have liked, he does share Alex's love of cars, and has a very black styled room, filled with racing car themed items and other miscellaneous sport items. 

Out of boredom, I put on "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO, purely because it's one of the kids' favorite songs. I bob my head to the tune as I dust off the rims of paintings. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Keegan starting to dance, but with some really sweet moves that would impress adults at a club.

"Whoa, that's some pretty awesome moves you got there, Keeg," I shout out to him, over the loudness of the track. "Did you learn that from watching television?"

"Nope!" he replies, shouting as well. "I learnt it from my friend at school, who's name is also Keegan!"

Like a pro, Keegan maneuvers his feet around the floor, dancing perfectly. Goodness, I wish I had his energy!

It's only then that his words start to sink in.

"Keegan? You said there's another Keegan at your school?"

"Yeah, there is," Keegan nods. "He's my best friend. He's in my class, and sits next to me in most of the classes. And he's here, right now!"

"Really? Uh, by any chance, does he have dark brown hair, and dark eyes? Possibly with ragged clothing?"

"Hah! That's him! How did you know how he looks?"

Keegan's head suddenly whips to the side, and his gaze falls on an empty chair. From his face expression, it seems as if he's listening intently... But to what?

"Oh, I see. Keegan just said you DO know him. He was a friend of Kaylin's."

"Eh, um... That's, uh, nice, Keeg," I stutter, wondering how the hell he knows that.

"He just told me you can't see him. He doesn't have a strong enough anchor in the world anymore, which is why he's not appearing to you guys."

Flabbergasted by that last sentence, I scratch my head awkwardly, avoiding Keegan's eyes. He is WAY too young to make up such a load of crap, so I have to assume that there is a possibility that he's telling the truth. But how could it be? Once, I could see this guy Keegan, but now I can't anymore? What trickery is this?! Is this some imaginary friend fantasy which might actually be real?

There's only one person that knows anything about the boy with the dark hair, and that's Kaylin.

I softly knock at Kaylin's door, the scent of air freshener hanging strong in the air outside. Apparently one of the pets must have had an "accident" in her room,  and she's desperate to get the smell out of her room.

"Come on in," Kaylin calls.

"Hi there, honey. I kinda need to talk to you," I whisper, closing the door behind. "Well, you obviously remember that boy Keegan... And he's sorta made another appearance."

"Really? THAT's what you wanna talk about? Good god, you're always so worried about boys. Okay, Keegan is in the past, he was just a childhood frien-"

"A childhood friend who's RETURNED and currently pestering your little brother. problem is, no one can see the guy. Please explain that to me."

"WHAT?! I don't know what you mean by that!" Kaylin explodes, but her eyes start zoning out as she becomes occupied by her thoughts. "Dammit. It's that doll... That black doll I had when I was a toddler, whom I named Keg. It was a great doll, y'know. And when I went to school, there was no one there for me I wanted to socialize with, and I wished there would be someone. And strangely, the mysterious boy appeared the next day, with the name 'Keegan'. The only thing I can THINK of is that the doll manifested itself again, but this time with my brother."

"But that doesn't explain how we can't see him now," I point out.

"I dunno how this stuff works - maybe it's like, I had a real need for this friend and wished for it, while Keegan doesn't really have such a strong need, and doesn't believe that strongly in dolls."

With the speed of crazy dogs, Kaylin and I rush off in search of Keegan (or the two Keegan's, if you take into consideration the one we can't see). As expected, we find him all alone (or not so 'all alone' - gosh darnit, this imaginary friend business is making me CONFUSED) in the backyard. Kaylin and I exchange worried glances, and we know that we might have to take extreme measures to fix this boy.

So Alex and I end up with miserable and hopeless expressions.

Why?

We're leaving the sanity of our boy in the hands of Kaylin - she's the only one that really connects with him on some kind of level.

"Keegan... I'm speaking to the REAL one, by the way... You need to wake up. You're a part of a dream. This friends of yours - he's not real. He gets his powers from your imagination. And the more you believe in him, the stronger his ties get to this world. You need to sever those ties, Keeg. He doesn't belong in this world.

He was made for the sole purpose of helping kids through their child stages. And he's done that. But it's time for you to move on. Mom once told me about how we almost weren't a family, as she loved a different guy before dad. But she didn't want to love a ghost for the rest of her life. Is that how you're gonna be? Hoping that your ghost friend will return to you everyday, when instead, you can go out and make real, awesome friends?"

"Wh-wh-what are you saying?" Keegan stutters. "That I'm crazy, a lunatic? I'm NOT, you hear me! I'm not... I'm not...," his breathing rate starts to increase, and we can all see him question his own sanity.

"Keegan... He told me he'd always be my friend... He's real, I tell you! He is. You just can't see him for some strange reason. Maybe because you guys are crazy. You should have your eyes tested, because I can clearly see him!"

"Son, you're sister is sharing very wise words with you. Listen to her, please," Alex interjects as Keegan continues to mutter randomly.

"NO! Y-y-you can't change my mind. My friend, he's real. He has to be. I can't live without him."

With tears welling up in his eyes, Keegan turns around and storms off up the stairs to his rooms, and we hear the distant sound of a door shut loudly.

"Honey...," I stop Kaylin as she's about to run after her little brother, "You have to allow your brother let off some steam. His heart is broken, knowing his friend isn't real. It's what you went through when Keegan left school. Now your brother must deal with it. Just give him some time."

Kaylin presses her eyes together with force, and a teardrop rolls down her cheek, which she quickly dabs away. "I know," she sighs, "I know. I just... Don't wanna see him like that. I just want to take him in my arms, and tell him everything will be okay."

I laugh silently, and pull her into a hug. "You inherited my motherly love - that's good to know!"

We all go to bed with heavy hearts and don't share too many words afterwards. The tension in the air is electrifying, and not in a good way. Not even Alex and I are talking, and we ALWAYS chat about something or another before falling asleep.

Till after midnight, I sit on the edge of my bed, thinking. In retrospect, I would have changed how I acted about Keegan. But it's too late now. 

Alex stirs next to me, sensing that I'm sitting upright, and I quickly get up to avoid a conversation. But instead of relief of avoiding a awkward convo, I have that strong feeling in my abdomen, almost as if something is wrong... Nope, it's not a gut feeling about something that might be wrong. It's labor time!

I wish I could say I'm like a practiced pro, but each time I deliver a new baby, all by myself, it gets harder. Why did I ever sign up for this job?

But I make it through it... Eventually. And deliver a beautiful baby girl to the world. 

I stand there with my new baby, Bridget, in my arms, smiling because of one thing:

The girls are gonna RULE over the boys in this house.

~♥~

I HAVE A POST OUT! OMG. I can't believe I even had time for this. But enough of my boring schedule.

Thanks to those that are reading this - I love you guys. <3

A special thanks goes to Calista Smith, for the name Bridget, and for just being awesome.

:D