Lune Legacy - Chapter 20
Welcome to Chapter 20 of the Lune Legacy, entitled "Family Vs Career".
The last chapter had a little bit of everything in it. While the house lost some of its older members (Kelita, Liliana, Frank), new ones were waiting just around the corner to be born. Mercy and Heriberto had three adorable little girls, named Lait, Nebula, and Venus. Mercy was about to return to work after spending nearly her entire young adult life at home with babies and toddlers. Heriberto, meanwhile, enjoyed every minute he got to spend with the little dears. Viva had become an elder and was spending her golden years the same way she had spent her young years.
This picture pretty much represents Heriberto's life. He just got home from work, has three toddlers to care for, no wife in sight, and to top it all off, he's standing in a puddle of toddler potty overflow. Life was good.
Nebula, as cute as she was, would whine and cry for Heriberto. Even if Mercy was there to take care of her, that wasn't enough. Nebula wanted her daddy.
Time flew by and it was once again Lait's birthday. She was all set to become a child.
Lait grew up into a cute enough to child. She also realised that she had a great sense of humour.
Lait's birthday also happened to be the day that Mercy got to return to work. She was finally free of babies, dirty diapers and awkward nap times.
Lait loved her little sister, Venus. She thought it was just adorable how she would roll around the floor like some invisible creature was trying to attack her.
Lait would spend her evenings helping out her father whenever he needed it. Mercy worked evenings and was never home to take care of the children. It all fell back on Heriberto, and the twins were handfulls.
During the rare few moments Heriberto got to himself, he would hop on the treadmill and work out. Being a police officer required him to be in a bit better shape than what he was.
But, even the best of aspirations sometimes fall short.
VJ was still out and haunting all day. He would choose the weirdest places to sleep, like in the bathroom, floating several feet above the floor.
The next morning, Lait and Heriberto ended up eating breakfast at the same time.
Lait: Why don't we ever have family dinners?
Heriberto: Because, dear, our family is far from conventional.
This was also a shining moment for Heriberto, our little never-nude. He actually left the bedroom without a shirt on. Such a daring act on his part.
Maybe his brand new physique was helping him to get over his fear of uncovered flesh. Notice how Mercy hasn't been in any of these pictures? Yeah, me too.
Viva helped out every now and again with the toddlers. They were her grandchildren afterall, even if they were created from the seed of Heriberto. Conveniently, she seemed to have her back turned anytime he want to care for or play with his children.
The maid must hate this family. As soon as she's done mopping up potty overflow, Venus will have probably created another puddle of potty overflow.
Mercy finally managed to find time in her busy career to sit down and try to teach the twins some life skills.
Mercy: Can you say nuclear waste? Because that's what your potty smells like.
Mercy: How about 'divorce', Venus? Can you say 'divorce'? That's what's going to happen to your daddy if he gets me pregnant again.
Heriberto: Mercy!
Mercy: What? I'm kidding... probably.
But, at least she was spending time with the family.
Even with the opposite work schedules and the stress of raising a family, Heriberto and Mercy's relationship was stronger than ever.
Much to the chagrin of Viva. She was still completely sure that Mercy had made a huge mistake in running off and marrying Heriberto.
That night, Frank came out for the first time ever. Cleo and I share the same sentiment on seeing him again.
Little Nebula is a complete darling, even when she's trying to viciously bite off the heads of her dolls.
Now where could she have possibly picked that up from? It couldn't have been the older sister who repeatidly made the 'father' doll attack the 'mother' doll, could it have been?
As soon as Heriberto got home from work, all play between the sisters ended. Nebula wanted his attention, not Laits.
Viva was helping to pick up the slack. Secretly, she enjoyed having children around again. She just wished that Heriberto was like Mercy's father and had taken off. At least that way, Mercy would still be young and capable of moving on and finding a better spouse to help raise her children.
Mercy was making some great progress at work. She was now a stagehand.
She'd return home from work just in time to help put the toddlers to bed.
The next day, Viva finally decided to confront Heriberto about her biased opinion of his parenting.
Viva: I don't know what kind of scam you're pulling here, buddy, but why don't you take off now? If you're after our money, you'll surely have a nice little settlement waiting for you by now.
Heriberto: I'm not after money, Viva. Can you honestly not see that I love your daughter and grandchildren?
Viva: Love? Hah! You don't know what love is, you little rat! You're no better than Mercy's father, or any other man in this family. How dare you try to tell me that you love her. You married her without knowing anything about her, that's not love. Mercy and her children will be the ones to suffer when you finally do turn tail and run, probably to go off and have an affair with some nineteen year old bimbo. You disgust me!
Heriberto: Uh... I apologise? Your accusations are completely unfounded though.
Viva: Don't you go telling me what's unfounded.
Of course, after Viva had finished yelling at him, Heriberto returned his attention to his children, where it had been ever since they were born.
In celebration of her birthday, Mercy got a make-over.
In time, it was the twins birthday as well. Of course, Nebula overplayed the darling daughter act like always.
She grew up to be a daredevil.
And Venus grew up to be just a bit absent-minded.
The blonde children had a showdown in the kitchen. Both were sizing the other up.
The birthdays were followed by supper for the twins.
Venus: Have you ever noticed the monster in the garbage can comes out at night?
Nebula: Um... what?
Venus: Nevermind, you just don't understand me.
Soon enough, it was Lait's birthday. She was about to embark on the journey known as the teenage years.
She became a very pretty teen girl. She also became athletic.
As it was Sunday and for once, Mercy wasn't working, the family decided to spend the day together at the park.
They even had an afternoon picnic together. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the family was all together, and the food was good. What should have been a perfect day was turned sour.
Lait decided to turn the conversation to Mercy's work schedule.
Lait: Mom, do you even care that we never get to see you? You work all night and barely say a word to us when you get home. Way to make us feel like we come second to your stupid guitar.
Heriberto: Lait, behave yourself.
Lait: Why, Dad? I've been quiet all my life, maybe I'm finally fed up with being raised in a one parent household.
Mercy: It's not that simple, Lait.
Lait: Well, why not? Why can't it be that simple? I'll tell you why! Because you don't even care if you miss everything in our lives. As long as you get what you want, nothing else matters.
Lait: Well, forget you, and forget your ambition to succeed.
Meanwhile, Nebula spoke with her father.
Nebula: Why is Lait so mad, Daddy?
Heriberto: She's just upset about your mother.
Nebula: Mommy may not be around all the time, but you are, and we love you.
Lait was still railing against Mercy.
Lait: Mom, are you even going to bother to defend yourself?
Mercy: Why should I, when all you'll do is throw my words back in my face? Everyone has tough decisions to make in life, and I made the one I needed to.
Lait: Humph. I'm surprised you didn't make the 'tough choice' to give us up for adoption the moment you gave birth to us accidents.
With that said, Lait ran off and away from her family. She needed time away from them.
Unfortunately, Venus took up where Lait left off.
Venus: You can't deny what she says. You choose your career over us. Don't we deserve a mother? Maybe then I wouldn't be afraid of the scary man-eating cake under my bed.
Mercy: Venus, honey, please don't. And, we'll talk about this 'man-eating cake' of yours later.
Lait had run off to the pool where she met Kathleen Wolff, one of Jesse's daughters. Lait and her became fast friends.
Lait: If you hang with me, I guarantee you that I will have the entire school wanting to befriend you. I have this gorgeous blond hair and wonderfully peppy personality, I may as well use it. And use it I will, to take over the population of school.
At least she has high goals.
When Lait finally returned home that night, she went directly to the gym to work off some of her frustration.
Lait: Dad, why does Mom work like she does?
Heriberto: She comes from a long line of successful women, honey, she just wants to earn her place in that line.
Lait: But, what about us? I want a mother.
Heriberto: We realise, or at least some of us do, that she gave up a lot just to have children. Now it's her time to focus on her career, and we support her.
The steps outside of school in the morning was the best place to skope out the best guys, and the worst competition. Lait was confident in her ability to be the queen of the school.
Homework was completed as soon as the kids walked in the door.
Nebula: Since you're done your homework, Lait, maybe you should make some dinner. You know, so we can have an actual family meal for once.
Lait: That's actually a great idea, Nebbie.
Venus: I wonder if that slimy alien on the ceiling would like to join us for dinner.
Lait, as good-intentioned as she was, could not cook. She tried her hardest, but she was more a princess than a manual labour type.
Nebula, sensing the danger in Lait cooking, ran off to the childrens stove to cook up some food of her own.
And she was right to do it. Lait's food was horrible quality.
Not wanting to be mean to her after she put in so much effort, the family sat down to a meal. Nebula gave the tasty muffin to her father, so he wouldn't have to eat Lait's cooking. She was a true 'daddy's girl'.
The next morning came and the kids all hauled themselves out of bed.
Venus: Oh my God, get away from me, you freak!
Nebula: Venus... there's no one there.
Venus often chooses to ride her bike to school instead of taking the bus.
Venus: The gremlin are the bus, waiting to eat me.
While not entirely successful with academics, Lait was successful at gaining popularity. The two lackies to her side are distant cousins of hers.
And, she still managed to keep a good relationship with her sister. What an amazing person.
Chapter 20 ends here. Mercy has now been told just how much her work schedule is effecting her relationship with her children, but will it change anything? Will Heriberto end up leaving his family like Viva predicts? And finally, will Nebula ever stop clinging to her father?
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