Lune Valley: Episode 3x04
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday, dear Teresa!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
Kirby, Effie, Stu and Eli all arrived to help George and Nora make Teresa's birthday special.
Stu and Effie headed straight for the living room, where tinny music filtered out from the Medina's radio.
The Quigleys take having fun quite seriously. Stu and Effie really know how to get down together.
Although, that might be just a little too close for comfort.
Pretty soon, everyone had joined the Quigleys on the dance floor.
An exhausted George was less than thrilled. Between parenting and his business, he'd taken to napping on the couch several times a day.
Unfortunately, the birthday party was right in the middle of his usual nap schedule.
"That's what you get, dear, for trying to sleep through your daughter's birthday."
George sighed and loafed on the couch while he watched the others having fun, leaving Nora to do the parenting. "That's right, Teresa! You'll be reading big girl books soon!"
He was back on the job as soon as it was cake time, though.
Even the butterflies gathered around the cake!
Kirby and Stu busted out the noisemakers, which made Teresa giggle.
Clatter! Sproing! "Awwww! It's busted!" Stu was disappointed when he dropped his too soon and broke it.
"Wait. Are you saying I have to catch her? What for?!" Kirby looked bewilderedly at Effie, who was teasing him.
George bent over the cake and blew out the candles.
With one last kiss to the forehead, he set his daughter down for her transition.
Teresa pushed herself up to a standing position on the floor...
...rolled into a spin, and...
Aside from the questionable mismatched outfit, she grew up quite well!
She couldn't wait to have her first slice of cake.
When she finished her cake, Teresa cornered Kirby outside the bathroom.
She stared up at him with bright, intelligent eyes, which unsettled him just a little.
However, after a moment or two of awkwardness...
They fell into a comfortable conversation.
Kirby was quite impressed with such a precocious child being the first born in Lune Valley.
It almost gave him hope that maybe this whole thing wasn't the disaster he kept fearing at every turn.
Eli and Effie had a long, quiet talk together toward the end of the party. It looked like they might be working through some of their problems at last.
As the party wound down, Stu got in a few more minutes of serious dancing.
He had to perfect his moves for the next one!
The party was a success!
George and Nora were glad when the party ended. Being parents can be exhausting, especially way out in Lune Valley.
They hadn't finished building her new big girl bed, but Teresa didn't mind. The couch was comfy and she didn't have to worry about her little sister waking her up.
The success of the party inspired a new business idea for George: a ticket machine!
He got right to work trying to sell the Garden Club matron on the idea, but she seemed hesitant.
George didn't have much time to spend on the business, though.
Not with baby Cora to tend...
...a loving, hard-working wife...
...and a little girl.
"Two of my best girls..." he whispered as he watched Nora sleeping while he tucked Teresa in.
"But Daddy, I'm not sleepy!"
"Uh, huh. Course not, baby."
"Goodnight!"
Later that night, as he was playing with little Cora...
He was shocked to realize...
...she wasn't a baby any more!
He held her close for a few minutes, cherishing the moment. He was learning just how quickly children tend to grow up.
But pretty soon, Cora needed to go back to bed.
The next day, Nora sat down with Cora.
It was time to teach the next Medina girl how to talk.
Cora wasn't the only one who had learning to do.
George dug out a few of his and Nora's old school things and Teresa asked her dad to help her with some math problems in an old workbook.
He was only too happy to help, but it was obvious that it wouldn't be enough for much longer.
They were going to need a teacher.
That evening, just after putting Cora down for a nap on her favorite blankie...
Nora went into labor once again!
Cora, at least, wasn't overly concerned, even with all the racket her mother was making.
"Welcome to Lune Valley, Reuben!" The first boy to be born has arrived!
The stress of three children, one being a toddler and another being a newborn, plus the floundering state of his business, was beginning to take a toll on George.
"It's okay, Daddy! I'll help you get more people to come and play!"
After dinner, Teresa convinced her father to go outside and play with her.
She wasn't all that good at football yet...
...but she was willing to try anything to cheer up her dad.
George got into teaching Teresa more about sports.
He was pretty excited to find out she was showing a real interest in his favorite hobby.
"See, honey? Like this! It's all in the wrist!"
They had quite a bit of fun, and in the end, George did feel better by the time they headed inside for bed.
George rose early the next morning to harvest the tomatoes he'd been growing for his grandmother's chili recipe. He didn't notice the burglar snoop down the street behind him.
Maybe Lune Valley isn't as safe as the settlers think?!
Commentary:
The semester is officially over! *confetti* I'm sorry that I just haven't been able to get my schedule together. Grad school is a time-starved beast. However, now that it's winter break, I have quite a bit of free time for the next couple of weeks. I also have a hefty backlog of Lune Valley episodes in the wings, so the end of Year One will be coming pretty rapid-fire. I promise to space posting them out a bit so as not to spam anyone's flists. I'm also toying with the idea of putting the settlers up for download, in case anyone wants them.