maressa

Camilla

“Mum, when will you two retire? Surely the Gems will be here soon, so how long after that will you step down?” Camilla’s beautiful face is spoilt by the pout; she looks at her mum expectantly. Miriam laughs, but is doesn’t sound anything like her loud, hearty one. It is a rather sad one, the hurt vibrating through it, as she looks at her eldest daughter. Several sons have gone and left the house already, making their own way in SiMobile. Ursula has gone as well, and now Camilla is desperate to go, but not into the unknown, but to the Snow household. Camilla heard about Brandon, and very early on she has been promised to him in marriage, an arrangement both parents agreed to. Now she is grownup, and impatient to join him, going as far as to ask her mum and dad to step down sooner rather than later!

Miriam sighs, she loves her children, and although in a way she knew this day would come, what with their crazy scheme of populating SiMobile with young people, it still grieves her. She is happy that at least Camilla has a wedding arranged; back to Miriam’s own family home no less! Saying goodbye will still be excruciating though, especially saying goodbye to her daughter. Zahra will still be here, of course, but that thought doesn’t cheer her up too much. Zahra is single, and no young man or his parents have come forward… She never realised how sad this time of her life would be, and how reluctant she would be to let go! In a way she is excited about retirement, but that excitement fades into the background now that she is confronted with the losses that accompany her retirement.

“I don’t know, sweetie, I still have things I like to finish. I know your dad has finished his goals, so he might be more inclined to go straight after Gems arrive. You could ask him,” she says, then wished she could swallow those words back down, as Camille walks off, looking very determined! She finds her dad, and asks him straight out, her face emotionless, totally oblivious to the distress this question brings! All Camilla can think of is the changes she would like to make, and the opportunities she has once she is made Active.

Samuel Vince Mortina looks at his beautiful daughter, and sadness changes his whole face, as he knows what the question means. Is he really ready? Ready to leave the active position, ready to accept that he has done his share in the Mortina Dynasty? Has he really fulfilled his destiny, and restored Justice? He sighs, just like Miriam; when he finishes his shift, his last ever shift, he goes home, looking for his wife. They hug, Miriam has a little cry and Samuel looks like he could do with one himself… “I will accept, love, for I know that Brandon Snow is having his party soon, and Camilla will need to make sure she gets in early… I hope he will be good for her, good to her as well. I know he is related to you, but I have heard that he is a bit of a hippie…I hope Camilla will remember us, and will stay in touch, somehow!”

So Samuel Vince Mortina accepts his retirement papers, turning grey, stooped and old straight away. Camilla’s face lights up, and she can’t wait for the promotion papers to come through, so she can choose an outfit, get a bit of makeup on and just make her own choices! She has it all worked out, studied her mum’s wardrobe so she knows what to wear. To her horror, and everyone else’s in the family, Camilla has a bout of Llama Flu as soon as her promotion comes through! There she is, looking like a Weeble, just as many friends have done recently; no chance of choosing clothes: she’ll be lucky to survive! No man, not even Brandon, would be the slightest bit inclined to marry her… Miriam gasps, and clutches her grey headed husband, doing her best to swallow down the hysterics she can feel worming its way out of her throat… Together they manage to put a brave face on it all, and after some simple treatment Camilla is as well as can be expected! The whole family breathes a sigh of relief that is was the Weebles Strain, and not the Pink Blob one, as that one is so much harder to cure! Camilla cries big tears of gratitude, especially as she hears via a card that Brandon had suffered the same fate, but fully recovered as well. She is so happy, she hugs her mum, dances around, even dresses quite conservatively, like all the Mortinas down the ages have done. Her relief is sweet to see. She can’t wait to meet Brandon, and drives Miriam to distraction with her restlessness; pacing up and down waiting for the party announcement…

The announcement comes, of course, and Camilla is the first guest to arrive, almost before the house is decorated for the party! The party is just to meet up of course, but it does put the whole family under considerable strain, as they are honourable enough to make sure it reaches Level ten status. Camilla is a little shocked by Brandon’s greeting. He doesn’t waste any time, but even outside the house, on the little strip of grass, he greets Camilla in a very flirtatious manner. She blushes wildly, and feels shy, hoping that if she is a bit reticent he will slow things down. Obviously, Brandon doesn’t get the hint, and he sticks to Camilla like a leech all during the party. He leaves the levelling up, the handing out of stickers and greeting the other guests over to his uncle and mum. Brandon clearly has a one track mind, and Camilla is starting to feel a little uncomfortable. She squirms, and gasps as he kisses her soundly in front of all the other party goers; strangers that she has never met before, she doesn’t even know their names! For that matter, even Brandon is like a stranger; she has only just met him after all.

Camilla goes home that night, totally overwhelmed; wondering if this arranged marriage is the biggest mistake ever. She looks at her parents, and envies the fun they have together. Even now, with her father all grey and stooped, her mother’s laugh still brightens up the entire Mortina home. Brightens it up like lightning during a thunderstorm, not once but time and time again. Camilla sighs, “Oh, I’m jealous…jealous of what my parents have! I do like Brandon, he is very arty and clever with a camera, but…but he is so intense! I just wanted to…” She stops, what is it she wanted? She stares ahead in the dark, trying to think back to before her promotion, but it’s all a blur. Probably an after effect from the Llama Flu, she sighs. She does know that things are not really going the way she expected. Brandon is so in her face, it drains her! His dark eyes staring at her with a burning intensity that makes her nervous, as she feels she might say the wrong thing!

She lies down, eyes glued to the ceiling, or where she knows the ceiling to be, rather. She thinks about her near future. Soon Brandon will propose, in fact, she is sure that the very next time she will see him he will start the Proposal event. She sighs, even before their official first date, the one everybody goes on at the little café, even before that he had brought their relationship to level three! He is very pushy, she thinks, and I wasn’t banking on that… My mum has firm ideas, and I thought I was getting my freedom by marrying an artist. Mum isn’t really pushy though, although she is usually very much in love with her own ideas. Brandon…well, Brandon insists on his ideas, in a nice way, but definitely insisting on them… Oh dear, this could be tricky!

The next morning Brandon proposes to her, and Camilla accepts, of course! She is excited as well, as Brandon seems to relax a little now their relationship level is going up steadily. Camilla has a shock when she pops back home though, for Miriam insists on her taking a job! Camilla drops down in the nearest chair, shock written all over her beautiful but proud face. “A job? You want me to take a job? Here, in town, today? Why? Why do I need a job, I mean, Brandon is already doing the Proposal, I’ll be at level eight before I would finish my job! Mum, really?” Miriam however is adamant, even though she is filling out the Acceptance forms for her own retirement.

“You must do all you can to help this family,” she says, voice more determined than Camilla has ever heard her before. “This family has been very good to us all; they took me in, even though at that time the Snow family had only just arrived. We were totally insignificant. They took me in, introduced me to friends, gave me stickers…” She has to swipe at her eyes there, realising that no more stickers will come her way! “You have met several of them, Uncle Magnus’ family for one, and my best friend Lucille Ball…Not to mention myriads of other wonderful and supportive friends. This home has been good to you too, Dad has allowed you to be Promoted, and it is the family’s loss when he did so. He had reached level ten, bringing in a steady income from hobbies and jobs. You don’t really think you can just sit around, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for your artist to come and carry you off on his white horse, do you?” Miriam’s blue eyes had been blazing by then, as Camilla’s face had become sulkier and sulkier during this tirade.

“What will I do? Work in the office, wearing that awful suit? I don’t want to be a doctor, not after… after the awful Llama Flu; what if I get infected at the hospital again, this time turning into a pink blob…” Her voice breaks, and tears roll down her well shaped face, for Camilla can switch the tap on at any given moment. Miriam is not impressed, as this trick has been used too many times now… “What about Daniel?” Camilla continues, tears switched off as she can tell they’re not making the right impression, “What about him? When is he going to get promoted, and are you forcing him to work too?”

Miriam sighs, “Goodness child, what a choice of words. It is important to contribute. You know we’re almost able to afford the next bit of ground to be cleared. It will be good to be part of that, to share the burden. Yes, Daniel will be promoted as soon as his papers arrive, just in case he meets his betrothed. You know he has been promised to Giada… Both of you will soon be gone as well and we’ll be alone, save for Zahra… Of course, Daniel will work too, he wants to be the photographer.”

Camilla wails straight away, “Ooooh, mum! I wanted to be the photographer! You can wear your own clothes, and you get to meet lots of important people! That is so unfair, why was Daniel allowed to be the photographer, why did nobody ask me if I wanted to have that career…?” Tears appears as if by magic again, and Miriam waits patiently, even though she feels like rolling her eyes, and shaking the spoilt girl! Camilla finally finishes off with a few sniffs, and says, “Well, in that case, I’ll do the fashion career. I’m good at fashion, and I might even be made a model, who knows! Serves Daniel right if he has to do a complete photoshoot of just me!” Miriam pulls a face, knowing that the likelihood is extremely remote…!

Off to work they go, the newly promoted Daniel, with his beautiful face, dark eyebrows and smiling eyes, and the sulky looking Camilla. Daniel reminds her a little of Brandon, because of their longish hair, although Brandon’s isn’t as neatly kempt as Daniel’s hair. Daniel loves his job, taking pictures everywhere. Camilla doesn’t enjoy her work, or any work for that matter! She is just filling in time, waiting for their relationship to progress. She doesn’t have to wait long. Brandon is in a hurry it seems, and even before the wedding the official SiMobile Government Moving Permit arrives. Camilla’s parents and aunt and uncle gasp; they can’t believe she will move in without being married to Brandon! Camilla doesn’t mind, doesn’t care, as her only concern is to start a new life, as she keeps telling herself, and her bags are packed; she is ready to go, ready for her new life as Mrs Snow, being an adult in her own right, choosing a hobby, doing what she wants, wearing what she wants! “I can’t wait,” she whispers in her room whilst packing her few personal belongings, “I can have all the makeup I want, wear whatever I want, do whatever I want… I can’t get over it, it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait to ditch this top for one, it’s so stiff and starchy!”

The first thing Camilla does at the Snow’s house is change her outfit. That is, after the quick treatment for the repeat bout of Llama Flu, the Weebles variety again, fortunately. Both Brandon and Camilla were quite relaxed about the Flu this time, trusting the treatment. Fortunately for them, the treatment worked. Camilla appears again, wearing a short top, showing her bare midriff…unheard of in the Mortina household. Nobody ever, in the entire Mortina Dynasty, has ever showed bare midriffs… Camilla feels great, the cool breeze on her stomach a totally new thing. The first thing Brandon does when Camilla moves into the Snow residence is to start the wedding Event, Camilla secretly feeling relieved…

Miriam is chatting to Eva, a close relative of Brandon; Eva being Eva Mortina before her marriage into the Snow family. Eva pulls a face, and Miriam suddenly remembers Eva’s childhood nickname of Miss Stroppy, and thinks to herself that nothing seems to have changed on that score! Eva sighs, and says, clearly doing her best to be tactful, “Camilla moved in as you know, and Brandon started the wedding event. Fortunately, they can just do the event, not the entire Quest, like Paul and I had to do… Camilla seems to be alright, she changed her clothes straight away, obviously making a statement. Mind you, I think it backfired a little… She was crying and complaining to Brandon’s mum how all the guys make comments, pat her back, give her funny looks and what have you… I don’t think she realises she is sending out a dodgy message with her dress code. Of course, those guys are wrong, but sending out the wrong message is…well, it’s the wrong message, isn’t it!”

Miriam leans against Samuel that evening, looking sad, feeling weary. “Do you think she will be alright?” she asks, and she puts her hand on her heart, as she feels that each day another shard splinters off, shrinking her heart; hurting her heart… Samuel smiles at her, hugs and elbows her at the same time. They would have had a wild game, using cushions, rolled up newspaper, anything, but Zahra walks into the room, recently promoted! Her sweet face glows, and she is waving a note at them. They both sober up, and give Zahra their full attention.

Zahra shows them the note, and explains that she has been accepted in the Fashion studio, as an ASOS Fashionista. A position had come free in the atelier, as Camilla had left to move in with Brandon. What a difference, Miriam thinks, what a difference between my two girls… “This note is amazing news as well,” Zahra continues, “it’s from the Knight family. Their son…” she tears up, overwhelmed by happiness and excitement, “their son…he…he has indicated his willingness to marry me!” and she cries a flood of happy tears, hugging Miriam, and showing her the letter. Miriam is relieved, and hugs her back tightly! She reminds herself that all things are in God’s Hand, even her daughters’ lives, and that some people just have to learn the hard way that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side… She is suddenly convinced that Camilla will be fine, and that it will all work out well. It might take time, some people are slow learners, but she is sure that Camilla will grow up in all respects, some time! As for Zahra, well, Miriam is bursting with happiness, and feeling blessed that she will be able to share in her happiness, at least for a while. Will she be around long enough to meet Zahra’s Beau…or will the retirement cake be served before then…

Miriam

She was absolutely sure that there was more cheese in the fridge. Miriam is standing in front of the fridge, a frown on her face. She checks the shelves again, and the more she looks the more she is convinced that a lot of the cheese has gone. She groans, just what she needed. She had sneaked into the kitchen in the dark, hoping to quickly grab a chunk, mainly to cheer her up. Now the cheese she was looking forward to is no longer there. “How strange,” she mutters, trying to think back to when she stacked the fridge. “I only stocked it just before the Cocktail Party…” her voice trails off, as she all of a sudden remembers some of the guests making multiple trips to the kitchen, coming out in giggles, and looking just a tiny bit guilty! “Oh well, I suppose I shouldn’t have it at night anyway. I have been so busy at this job, I haven’t done any yoga for a while either, so cheese is probably not the best idea anyway.”

Miriam hesitates, but decides to go back to bed, back to her thoughts. Slowly she makes her way through the silent house, relieved that everyone is asleep. Explaining midnight snacking is always a bit embarrassing, she grins, and I don’t really feel like talking to anyone either. Here the grin melts away, replaced by a worried frown. “I just don’t know what’s wrong with me, I’m so tired these days!” Miriam had complained to her best friend, Lucille Ball. “I just don’t have any energy, everything takes so long, and I’m just ready to go to bed as soon as I come home. Last night I didn’t even want to go to the party. I went, of course, but I really had to make myself!”

Lucille had sympathised, and listened to Miriam, her eyes looking worried as she listened. This was not the friend she had come to know and enjoy! They used to have such good times together, and now Miriam looked all sad and dejected. What was going on? Of course, Lucille managed to draw Miriam out of whatever mood it was that she was struggling with at the moment, and soon the two of them are laughing again. Miriam’s dancing always makes Lucille double up with laughter, and soon Miriam seems the old Miriam again.

Miriam knows better though, and that evening in bed, she thinks about it, a big frown which changes her whole face, very unlike her! “Something is wrong with me, I just know it. Maybe it’s llama flu, or something else, but I’m not myself at the moment. I am just so tired, my legs won’t move. My job at the Club is driving me nuts, it’s getting boring now. It’s mainly elderly people who come to dance, and only when Lucille turns up is it great to be there. Zahra is will be a toddler soon…” and suddenly Miriam finds tears dripping on her pillow! “My life is just so empty, and it used to be so much fun! I don’t know what has happened!”

Samuel has noticed as well, and he is worried. “Are you alright?” he asks one evening, when it’s just the two of them in the house. They are sitting in the lounge of the Granny Annexe, where it is a lot quieter. A lot of their children are grown up, so they help keep an eye on the little ones. “I just noticed that you seem a bit quieter, so I was wondering about you,” he explains, “I just thought of it, as you looked really tired coming in here.” Miriam snuggles up, elbowing him at the same time, causing Samuel to groan and protest, and soon they’re both laughing, poking and tickling. When they finally stop, both completely out of breath, Miriam sits up, brushes her wild black hair out of her face, and sighs. This sobers up Samuel Vince quicker than anything else!

Miriam leans against him, and both are very quiet for a moment, rather unheard of with them! Then Miriam starts, sounding tired now, “Yes, I have been so tired. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s Llama Flu, who knows. Lots of our friends have had relatives affected by it. It just seemed to have come suddenly, and I don’t feel like anything at the moment.” Samuel doesn’t know what to say to this, so they sit together for a while. Miriam suddenly continues, “It started just before we had that talk with Magnus and Esther. In fact, just before Lucille told me she was going to accept retirement after the next Gems.”

This makes Samuel sit up, and hug her tightly, “Oh my dear, crazy darling,” he gushes, big grin back in it’s usual place. “You’re just feeling down, that’s all! It’s a case of the blues, and not surprising either! You get on with Lucille really well, so her retirement would be very sad. Then we decided to retire soon after her announcement and after the meeting with Magnus and Esther. That meeting was a bit upsetting too, as we had sort of hoped to have another string of babies… We agreed to just one more, so that probably didn’t help your mood!”

Miriam laughs, suddenly, her loud, wild laugh, filling the Annexe with it’s rich sound. “You know, you could be right! How silly of me… I do feel very sad about so many things, and I think all the bad news has drained me. I will miss Lucille dreadfully, which is why I’m actually happy to retire after we get our Gems. I just never realised how boring the job in the Club was going to be! It looked so exciting, you know, the lights and music, people coming in to dance…turns out it’s mostly retired people, some of them still trying to trick others into giving them stickers! I think they should be banned from the club if they do that! There is not much to do either, just play the music, or talk to people. I thought I’d be partying all the time!”

Miriam feels the grey, heavy cloud lifting a little for the first time. Yes, she thinks, it’s just the blues, but soon I will be retired! I’m quite excited about that actually, I’m just too tired and down at the moment. She thinks about the bassinet and their wild scheme, and before she knows it, giggles are bubbling up. She turns to Samuel and says, “You know, when we were thinking of ways to Restore Justice to your ancestor, what’s his name again? Thomas? No…Chris! That’s it, Chris, well, remember we were thinking of lots of plans. I still think we had the best plan! I mean, that guy Gregory at the Club, he’s absolutely ancient. All he does is scrubbing that table. He really is hopeless, and so are some of the other ones staggering round town. The Government would never have allowed an old people’s home though, would they. After your final birthday cake they frown on relatives contacting their elders that have moved out.”

This is true, and it’s the one thing that all retired people dread. It’s not so much the grey hair, the stooped shoulders and the aimless wandering; it’s the fact that after some time, a birthday cake will be presented, which is when you have to leave the home. Your family cannot contact you again, although some friends and relations still can. The Government obviously wants families to be forward looking, not stuck in the past, but surely a family should be allowed to keep in touch! Miriam feels the grey cloud descending again, thinking about never seeing her family again. Never seeing her best friend Lucille again…or maybe she will actually, and the sun comes out again. In fact, they might even be in the same apartment block. If so… and Miriam’s overactive party mind sets to work straight away. Samuel groans, he knows that look…!

“I still think our plan was best,” he says, trying to get Miriam out of crazy planning mode, “I love our children, and I’m sure they’ll make a difference. I’m sure it really was a fitting way of restoring Chris, and of course Vincent as well. I had to repair past injustices for two, which we did!” They laugh, and Samuel says, more dreamily, “Twenty six children would have been amazing though, imagine the impact! They would have had to move out of course whilst they were still quite young…”

Miriam looks at him, and she feels the ground sinking beneath her, as the reality of that statement sinks in. Somehow it had never entered her head; she just thought it was a bit of a laugh having children in alphabetical order, sending them into SiMobile to replace the NPCs there… The consequences of the scheme never registered with her. Until now, that is. Her precious children will need to move out. She will never see them again, unless she bumps into them by accident. They will leave, she will retire, so she has no way of communicating with any of them! She can feel panic starting to wriggle in her stomach, and actually lies her hands on her stomach to keep the fear under control. “My children!” she gasps to Samuel “My children, and I will have to say goodbye to them forever! Where will they go, what will they do now?”

Samuel Vince realises that Miriam is really upset, and he hugs her, and tries to comfort her. “I’m sure some of them will be married off. How about your sister’s children, they will need spouses won’t they? And how about my cousin Eva, she has got at least one child, hasn’t she? So maybe some could marry their children? There might be some friends who will need spouses. Anyway, there are plenty of flats available, and they’re all very good in landing on their feet!”

Miriam stares ahead, thinking about the coming days, and how she will need to say goodbye to her children. “What about the Dynasty?” she suddenly asks Samuel, and he looks surprised. “Will any of our children be eligible for the Dynasty at all? Or do they just take siblings? Maybe one of the girls could be nominated, or whatever you do to stay in the house…”

Samuel agrees, and explains about the family meeting they usually have. “When the Gems are out, or almost out, we have a large Family Meeting, and we decide on the future of the Dynasty. Two people can take over the house. That could be brother and sister, or cousins. What we did in Eva’s case was that she was promoted, she got married to Paul, and moved in with your parents. Once she left, I was promoted, and I then got to know you!” Another wild interlude follows, and when they’re all calm and trying to catch their breath again, Samuel says, “I think one of the girls should be promoted, really. Maybe Zahra; as she is the youngest, she won’t have much time to prepare herself for an independent life. Camilla is so pretty, and energetic, maybe she ought to marry into your family? Does your sister have a boy? Maybe Eva has a boy… We could do the same thing, promote Camilla, till she has moved in with your relatives, and then promote Zahra… She will need a good husband though. We’ll have a look round…”

Miriam feels a little better, it is helpful to make plans, she finds; the future doesn’t look so bleak when you plan ahead. The idea of Camilla marrying one of her relatives pleases her as well. That way, she will feel her little girl will be looked after. Zahra is special, as she is the last of her children. As she was the last, Miriam took more pains over the name. It had to be a ‘Z’ of course, but she wanted a name with meaning. The other children’s names had been rather random, but this last baby had to be special. It felt so final, and Miriam spent a long time studying names, feeling them on her tongue, checking them for meaning. When she came across ‘Zahra’ she fell in love with the name. Zahra, meaning Dawn in Hebrew…just perfect! The Dawn of another phase, another sphere in SiMobile. Dawn, bringing light, and hope and a new day. She felt sad about closing the chapter, but this last special baby reminded her constantly, that ‘weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning’; yes, she would cling to that, whenever the grey clouds suppressed her. She would cling to that thought, rather than the thought that she had missed out on another eighteen children…

Miriam manages, but still finds it hard to be as upbeat as she always was. She still meets up with Lucille whenever she can though, but some days she feels too tired and down to even talk to anybody. It is on days like that, when she doesn’t even fancy a party, that Esther goes to the parties. Esther doesn’t mind, she isn’t much of a party goer, but she doesn’t shy away from them either. As the bassinet will be free any moment now, Esther feels like partying anyway! They will finally have their family, finally have a child!

So Esther gets dressed up, goes to the parties, meets and makes friend; eventually Miriam decides to go, as she hears the last party is at Lucille’s house, a Special Ball. Both girls dress up in smart outfits, and Miriam is relieved when she finally makes it to Lucille’s house. She gasps, as the house has got a huge ballroom, and Lucille is there, waiting, smiling… Miriam rushes over to her friend, and they chat, and plan, and together they are determined to shake up all the old people around town.. Just wait till the Gems arrive, then trouble will begin, they both smile, looking like the conspirators that they are… SiMobile beware!

Alphabet

When Magnus walks through the door, he meets a very excited Esther. “Come and have a look, another garden patch has finished,” she squeals, her face beaming with pleasure. Magnus laughs, but he does follow her into the back garden. He must admit, he tries to avoid the back garden, as it’s such a mess! Each patch takes many days of extremely hard work in order to raise the funds to clear the patch. Once the gardeners set to work, it will still take several days before they have actually cleared the land. It took the four of them quite a while to earn enough money to finally be able to contact the gardeners. To be honest, he had forgotten all about the patch clearing, it took so long!

He looks at the empty patch, and looks at the Granny Annexe. Plans were that they would clear enough land to move the Annexe. It is so close to the main house, that it makes the courtyard look minute. Also, another bedroom would be helpful, what with Samuel and Miriam’s brood all growing up! Would this one cleared patch do it though… Magnus looks at the patch, walks round the Annexe, measures with his eyes, and still wonders! Samuel arrives to have a look too, and being Samuel he is convinced it will fit perfectly. “Yes, I’m sure it will fit, easily! We could just move the whole thing up, easy as that. Just put those gates into storage for now, and just shove the whole lot along a bit.”

The gates are put into storage, so is the wedding arch. The shoving starts, but as soon as they lay hands on he building both men realise they will have a problem. It’s not going to be that easy after all! They check a bit more carefully this time, and then find a solution. It will need some turning and refitting, but it works. Magnus suggests resizing the bathroom as well, as it will give the house a much bigger courtyard. The Granny Annexe’s main room is made a little larger, and soon the whole thing is done! Magnus is pleased, he really likes this kind of work! He is glad they managed to fit it all, and most of the items are removed from store and fitted back into the Annexe. The house looks different, he smiles to himself, definitely more space around!

“All we need is a bit more Simoleans, and we’ll have that extra bedroom done too,” laughs Samuel, making it sound as if the room can be ordered in the morning, rather than in a few days time… “I love the new outlook, much lighter! It’s a nice place actually, I might even accept my last Trait!” and roaring at his joke he stalks off, finding some new scheme no doubt. Magnus is left standing by himself, a sad and thoughtful look on his face. He hadn’t realised that he’d been staring after Samuel, until a slender hand appears on his arm, squeezing him close. Esther has appeared at his side. She had noticed that the Granny Annexe was in place, so she came to have a look, and to check the furnishings. Good thing too, one of the wall hangings had moved, so together they put it back in the right place. Esther is watching Magnus’ face, a little worry line on her forehead. He was just standing there, staring, and she had heard Samuel’s loud laugh. She wondered if Samuel had said something inappropriate, as tact wasn’t his strength… He could do with the Tactful Trait, or something like that, she had mumbled to herself whilst going over to Magnus to find out what happened.

She asks him whilst fluffing up the cushions on the red sofa, and Magnus smiles at her. “Don’t worry, I’m alright. It’s just something that Samuel said that made me think about lots of stuff.” He grins then, his handsome face alight suddenly, like the sun peeking round a cloud. “Samuel mentioned how nice the Annexe was, and that he might even accept the last trait, meaning retirement might come soon. It made me think about our last traits. We haven’t accepted them either, and I just felt sad. I really don’t want to get retirement notices just yet…” Magnus looks sad again, staring off into the distance. He sighs after a while, “I’m trying to be content; I’m really trying to put all life’s struggles and hurts into the right perspective, and in a way I’m alright with everything. I know I have you, and I have God living in me, but my heart still longs for a child, a son. It is hard to see Samuel and Miriam with so many children, and another one in the bassinet right now. That means that we can’t use the bassinet right now, and we will need to wait till their baby is walking round. Say we get our chance then, that means that it will still be a while before our child would be an adult, and we could move out. I really don’t want that last trait, not before we have a child…”

He looks sad, tired, and Esther feels for him. Magnus has been so desperate for a child, and although he has been more at peace about it since turning to the Sun of Righteousness, there are still moments of sadness, of course! She admits that she feels the same sadness; she too would love to have a baby in the Mortina bassinet; an heir, to carry on the Mortina Dynasty, as well as a child that welds them together, a part of both of them. Magnus looks at her and adds softly, “It’s not that I’m bitter about it, or angry. I just have this longing in my heart. These days I just pray about them, and lay them before the Lord. I loved that account you read to me the other day, about that king who had received letters, mocking him and God. I was struck by how he laid them out before the Lord and prayed over these letters that way. It just resonated with me, it was such a beautiful image, this king, bowing before God, with these hateful letters spread out before him. Some days I struggle to remain at peace though; some days I even wonder if there really is nothing I can do or say that will make God change His plan; Some days just seem so dark and sad…”

Esther hugs him, tears in her eyes. Yes, that reading had been wonderful, and encouraging too. “I know my love, I know, it is so hard to wait! Trusting God is hard sometimes, it’s hard in the valleys anyway, and I keep reminding me that He hasn’t promised us an easy journey, only a safe arrival… I cling to that. No, I don’t want the last trait either, for I’m still sure that God will give us a child. I’m trusting and waiting as best as I can, and I must admit that I try to enjoy your company as much as I can as well! These days are a gift too, and I love the time it affords us to be together!”

Magnus actually blushes a little, and his large grin turns into his hearty laugh. Esther actually feels the tears leaving her eyes, splashing onto her cheeks; that laugh! It was the very first thing she heard at that party, so long ago now! She laughs through her tears, and with a shaky voice says, “Do you remember that party at your house? Our meeting up party? Remember how I went into the house, sent in by Bjorn, to find you. I had no idea where to even start, and then I heard this wonderful laugh…and my heart just knew it was you!” They both laugh, and Magnus hugs, lifts and swings Esther, knowing it will make her shriek and beg him to set her down! He is not disappointed…

That evening, as they watch Miriam walk past the lounge with a little baby in her arm, something finally clicks in Magnus’ head. He spins round to face Esther and whispers excitedly, “I know what they are up to! I knew they had a plan! I knew it! Listen, look at their baby names, ok, first boy is…?”

Esther stares at him, like he’s lost his mind. Nevertheless, when he keeps looking at her expectantly, obviously onto some great idea, she says “It’s Albert.”

“Exactly! Next boy is Brandon, then they had little Camilla. After Camilla came Daniel. Can’t you see the pattern? A, B, C and D! They are working their way through the alphabet!” He sinks down on the sofa next to Esther, and suddenly he can’t stop laughing, he is literally rolling around on the sofa, holding his sides, laughing and groaning about a stitch in his side. When he finally is able to speak again, he says, very softly, looking over his shoulder like a conspirator, “Do you think they’re really planning to work their way through the entire alphabet?” And Magnus is off again, laughing, rolling, wriggling like an out of control snake, until he actually rolls of the sofa! That puts a stop to that, and Esther wipes her own laughter tears from her face. They both sink back into the sofa cushions, still gasping for breath, and giggles still making their way up from their stomachs. They look at each other, incredulously. “Surely they’re not aiming for twenty six children?”

Esther shakes her head, “No, I don’t think so, at least not anymore. I don’t know what their plan was originally, I wouldn’t put it past them, to be honest! Remember, the little boy after Daniel is called Tyson. I’m not sure what made them change. I know Miriam was really upset after Tyson was born. She blamed it on her makeup, said she was obviously allergic to the eyeshadow, it stung her eyes. I’m absolutely convinced she had been crying; I could tell she was struggling, laughing extra loud, talking to me in a voiced even more hyped up than usual. I’m sure something went wrong, for Samuel has actually been a lot more serious since then as well. Then this morning, “ Esther continues, although she has to swallow, as this morning’s memory is still fresh, the hurt and dejected feeling still raw. Magnus and Esther had also finished their jobs as quickly as they could, and still Miriam and Samuel had beaten them to the bassinet; it was still Samuel and Miriam’s child in the bassinet, not hers. “Well, this morning they had a little girl again, and they named her…” she gasps, looks at Magnus with large, round eyes! “Gracious, they named her Ursula!”

The giggles start again, but Magnus says, “At least….at least, ow my side hurts, at least they’re near the end of the alphabet! We might get our chance soon then, once they have a Zedekiah, or Zacharias or something!” Helplessly they cling to each other, laughing uncontrollably, knowing that their behaviour isn’t particularly mature, but somehow unable to stop it! Trust Miriam and Samuel to come up with a scheme like that! “Why on earth would they do that?” gasps Magnus in the end.

Esther sits up, wiping her eyes, “It’s the ‘Grave Injustice’ that Samuel is putting straight, I’m sure of it! He said he wanted to do something special, some grand scheme to make a difference. He talked about buying that huge building behind the Club, and round up all the ancient NPCs in town, and make them move in there, so new people can have their jobs… I’m pretty sure they have decided to send out as many young Mortinas as they can, to repopulate the town with young people, providing spouses to all sorts of desperate Sims!”

The more they talk about it, the more they are sure that Miriam and Samuel are doing exactly that! So why the sudden jump to T for Tyson? Magnus wonders if the SiMobile Government has named the baby. It doesn’t happen very often, but occasionally it does. A baby is given a name, the parents somehow don’t get to choose, and the name can’t be changed once it’ given! “Well, if they have Ursula, that means they are getting near the end of the list! Maybe we should ask them outright, you know, explain that as they still have five more letters to go, maybe we could have the bassinet first? They have six children already, they could easily take a break. I’m sure the best thing to do is to be straight with them. I don’t think they take hints very well…”

Magnus doesn’t sleep well that night, every time he wakes up a little he starts laughing again, stuffing the duvet cover into his mouth to stop his giggles from waking up Esther! They both manage to keep their faces straight though when talking to Miriam and Samuel. To their surprise, they both admit to the alphabet scheme! Magnus snorts, giggles no longer under control, and he quickly pretends to blow his nose, hoping they won’t suspect… Miriam and Samuel take it very well actually, and they apologise for claiming the bassinet all the time! They reach an agreement, as Miriam and Samuel are thinking seriously about accepting their last trait. They love the Annexe, and both have reached the end in their hobbies. Finding their jobs a lot less fun, and a lot more restrictive, they admit that retirement looks like the fun option! Magnus and Esther hardly dare to look at each other, hope mixing in with the giggles, wriggling, bubbling, looking for a chance to come out in new waves of helpless laughter.

The giggles win when Magnus and Esther are finally together in their room. They laugh and cry at the same time, feeling elated, on top of the world! Soon, quite soon, sooner than they dared to dream, they might be holding their baby!

Miriam felt so bad about their lack of sensitivity that she offers to throw them a party! Esther tries to look grateful and excited, but as it’s Miriam throwing the party, she just doesn’t know what sort of party they are talking about…. “A studio one, as it’s got some lovely art work, and we’ll make it a Cocktail Party, you know, nice posh frocks and all that! You’ll like that, and all your friends and family can come over in their finery; I might even dress proper like myself!” she had laughed her wild laugh, but she kept her word, and invites were sent out for a Cocktail Party. Magnus just hoped and prayed his family would make it this time! He hasn’t seen Bjorn for a while, or his sisters! They used to pop in very regularly when he first got married, but they haven’t done so lately. He really misses them, and he hardly dares to hope that this time they’ll make it in…

The day of the party arrives, and they all finish work early to put their glad rags on. Miriam finds a lovely shaped dress, bright red, complementing her black hair an bright blue eyes. She is obviously very excited, and leans over to Esther to say in a loud whisper that can be heard in at least two rooms, “Lucille said she might be able to come. You know, she’s just told me she is going to retire after the next Gems? Well, that really settled it for me, so I talked to Samuel about it. Lucille is my best friend, we do so much together! I can’t imagine life in SiMobile without her to laugh and hang out with! Who would I go to with stuff, you know, or have a good laugh? It’s just going to be so dull; no, I’m going to accept my trait after the party. Samuel said he didn’t mind, as he feels he’s done his bit for the Dynasty and that Justice thing; you know, the Challenge that he had taken on for that ancestor guy. So there we are, might be our last party, so I better make it a good one!” She laughs, and walks off in her bright coloured shoes, red dress visible even when you switch the light off, thinks Esther, rolling her eyes. What a bit of news though, I can’t imagine them working their way to Z, so who knows how soon Magnus and I can use the bassinet… She never knows whether it was the news or the cocktails that made the party a success!

A success it is though, as Magnus’ cousin Bjorn arrives, smiling, clapping him on the back as usual. They chat a lot, Magnus louder than usual, his loud laugh setting off other guests as well. He is thrilled when his sisters arrive, hugging them, and chatting with them, telling his llama in a bar jokes… They’re pleased to see him too, and in a rare quiet moment Magnus manages to confide in his sisters, telling them that the bassinet will soon by filled with a tiny Viking! Runa and Freya are so pleased for him, as they didn’t want to ask. They’re glad he told them though! Miriam can be heard welcoming Lucille, and those two are soon heard everywhere, stirring up fun wherever they go! They certainly don’t need the cocktails to enjoy the party, thinks Esther, looking around her home, looking at the beautiful dresses, but mainly looking at her friends. Friends who made a lot of effort to come, to be there for them, to brighten up the party with their presence, making her feel overwhelmingly grateful, her face sore from smiling and chatting. She goes from friend to friend, but never seems to manage to meet everyone present! Even when the party gets shut down, as they invariably do, the beautiful memories are there. Magnus hugs her tighter than ever that night, and whispers, “I know the sun is still there, even when you can’t see the sun. How much better to actually feel the sun, and experience the warmth and revel in its healing rays… It’s also true for the Sun you told me about, and He is shining His face on us right now, and nothing in life compares to His smiling countenance! I can feel His healing touch in my heart, bringing joy and peace and happiness…”

Stonehenge

The English countryside looks beautiful this June day. The fields are lush and green, dotted with poppies, their bright red heads nodding in the breeze. Magnus is feeling relieved; he never thought Esther would agree to come with him to Stonehenge, but here they were, travelling to the huge monument! It took some doing, but they managed to find a tiny B&B outside Amesbury, near Stonehenge. The place was going to be packed in the next few days! Magnus is glad though, however much he hates crowds, he is prepared to put up with anything and anyone on this mission! He must get back into favour with the gods, whatever the cost! Being at Stonehenge on the morning of the Summer Solstice chanting, calling out, feeling the first rays of the sun on his face might do just that!

He hasn’t told Esther, of course. He can just guess what she would think of that. She has already made it clear that she is not coming to Stonehenge in the middle of the night to watch the sun rise, but she will come a few days before that, just to see Stonehenge itself. Esther loves history, and can’t wait to see this incredible place, but she has also explained that she does not like the whole pagan idea behind it. “I’m so excited about seeing it for myself, it’s such an amazing part of historical value! I just don’t understand how they managed to build it, especially the huge stones on top! I don’t like the sun worshipping thing though, and I know not everyone there will be into that, it’s just too crowded for me.”

They decided to go a week before the Solstice stay, in a B&B for a week, and visit the stone circle on their first day. That way they get to see the place when it is a lot quieter, and in daylight. The next few days they decide to relax, visit Amesbury and Salisbury, and other interesting places. Salisbury has a beautiful cathedral, and some quaint little streets and shops. Magnus had pulled a bit of a face when he heard about shops, but Esther had reassured him. “No worries! I’m saving up all my gems,” she had smiled, “I really want to get an amazing dress, or pass on the gems to another generation for an amazing dress…” Her face had lost its smile then, as she remembered that the baby in the bassinet was not theirs; it was Miriam and Samuel’s fourth baby! Magnus had looked away quickly, worried that Esther would see the blazing anger in his eyes. Why, when I used to be so spoiled by the gods, why? Were they just taunting me then, wanting to hurt me by lifting me high, so I might fall down as low as possible?

Near the end of the morning they spot Stonehenge in the distance. The huge stone circle is set on a hill, the green rolling slopes around it bare, accentuating the circle. A mysterious feeling hangs in the air, Magnus feels, and his heart beats stronger. Surely, this will be the place to connect with the gods, and to petition them, to ask them for a son! He slides his hand in his pocket and feels the cool shape there; caressing it with his strong fingers, their finger tips hardened from strumming away on the guitar. He feels guilty, glances at Esther from the corner of his eye. In his pocket is a Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, bought with saved up Simoleans. He has been practising very hard, earning a few extra coins when possible. Rather than adding those coins to the family budget, he kept them. I needed those coins, he thinks defensively, I needed them to make a sacrifice, to buy a token of my devotion and to gain the gods’ favour. He had managed to find a beautiful Hammer, made of solid silver, larger than the one he had hidden in the bassinet, beautifully made and heavy, its weight comforting him, calming him; the coolness of the silver shape warming his heart.

After a hearty breakfast of sausages, eggs, bacon and baked beans, Magnus feels he won’t be able to eat the rest of the day! He never gets the idea of having baked beans for breakfast, but somehow it tastes alright, especially with the bacon. They get the bus over to the visitors centre, from where another bus takes them very close to the stone circle. Esther is busy looking through the guide book, reading as fast as she can, intrigued by the history and theories around the stones. In the book it explains where the stones came from, how they got there, how they were set up, as well as lots of other details. She reads snippets of the book out to Magnus, but he only half listens to her words. His mind is rushing ahead, buzzing with anticipation. He is here, at the stone circle, where there has to be a special connection to the gods. Soon, in just a few days, he will meet here in worship, at the right moment; watching the sun come up, hitting the Heel Stone, witnessing the unique event…showing his dedication, his commitment and faith in the gods, in Thor, Frey and Freya, Odin himself… surely it will count for something! He is certain that the experience will bring peace back into his life; he is convinced that this coldness and distance will be healed, restored.

The bus stops, Esther and Magnus get off, and start up the path towards the huge stones. Although the circle is roped off, to preserve the stones, you can still see them very clearly; their age shows in the moss covering the stones. Some have fallen over, some are huge, others seem smaller, but the entire things is…breathtaking! Esther stares, and sighs, a long drawn out sighs, looking round, her eyes shining. “It’s incredible, Magnus, simply incredible! I know it explains in the book how they probably did it, but the proportions…the skill! Mindblowing, it really is mindblowing. So amazing to see their craftsmanship all these years later…” She keeps looking, taking pictures every few steps, drinking in the sight of the huge stones. Magnus does too, but with a hunger and neediness that actually surprises him a little. He can feel desperation driving him to look, to study the stones; trying to find a sign, a token of the gods’ favour towards him. He finds none, but reassures himself that it will come; next week, when he will be there to catch the first rays of the rising sun, his heart will find strength and health, and all will be well again; fortune will be restored to him and Esther; an heir will be born, he just knows it!

Magnus and Esther return to the B&B, and the next few days feel themselves relaxing, talking together, laughing at each other’s stories and just enjoying each other. “It’s like our courtship again,” Magnus grins at his wife, “I had an amazing time with you then, and this time it’s even better, for you’re my wife, and I love you more everyday!” Esther laughs, she loves Magnus, loves his handsome face and his big smile, which she had missed a little. She has been worried about Magnus. He has been quieter recently; sometimes looking a bit lost and sad, worried about something. She knows he is desperate to have a son, knows that he resents whatever Samuel and Miriam are plotting which involves the constant use of the bassinet. It saddens her, for she too would love a child. Contrary to her normal fretting and fussing, her renewed understanding of God’s providence has meant that she has been calm and at peace. Her heart just knows that she can trust God with the outcome; that somehow He is working this delay to her good, and that He is in control of her life, and that includes the little bassinet. Yes, she longs to be a mother, longs to hold a little sweet baby in her arms, and yes she does envy Miriam at times. There is no bitterness though, no anger, no fear in all of this, just a calm walking through life; a serene trust that she would never have thought possible could be hers!

The days fly past, Magnus is getting more and more tense. So much depends on that very early morning, and he just doesn’t want to imagine what could happen. He just needs to trust fate; trust that the gods will smile on him and Esther, and grant him a child. Esther smiles indulgently at her antsy husband, who is checking his bag, putting on more warm layers, checking his phone to see he still has time for a quick drink and a bite to eat. The chicken noodles taste like strings of cardboard though, and Magnus has no appetite whatsoever. He is restless, unable to sit still; constantly checking his pocket and feeling a tiny bit reassured by the little silver hammer in the palm of his hand. He struggles to keep his temper when Esther tries to joke with him, and mildly teases him about his sun dance…

Finally the time comes for Magnus to go. It’s pitch black outside, no stars, nothing to light the way, not even streetlights! Magnus gets into the waiting taxi, and soon finds himself near the stone circle again. The circle itself can’t really be seen, only the path through the long grass is illuminated, but there are a few pinpricks of light where people wave their torches. Magnus walks up to the circle, his heart beating wildly. This is it! This is what he has come for; this is the moment he has been hoping for, praying for, longing for with all his being. When he comes closer to the stones he slows down. He has to slow down, because of the huge crowd of people. There are just people standing everywhere. Magnus peers around him in the darkness, aided by the glowing torches. A tiny cold snake starts to curl itself round his madly beating heart. So many people, so many chattering voices, laughing, singing, clapping… There is no hushed reverence, as he had expected, and as he actually needed. He can’t hear incantations, or familiar chanting…only buzzing voices as if he was at a midnight feast, a midnight party.

Magnus manages to worm himself through the crowd, apologising for stepped on toes here, grunting his excuses for nudged ribs there, and finally he is closer to the stones. In the darkness he can just about make out there faint outlines, and he knows that he is as close as he is going to get. He can focus now, prepare himself, ready himself for…well, whatever it is that will happen! He clutches the little hammer in his pockets, takes deep breaths to calm his galloping heart… He stops, listens, and frowns when he hears the noise from the inner circle, the most holy part of the place. It sounds like a ‘rave’ someone said later, instead of the reverent dancing and incantations from druids and others. The cold snake round his heart has grown in size and strength it seems, and Magnus finds that he is starting to feel something akin to panic entering his heart. His hand tightens round the silver hammer even more, as he wrestles to overcome this sense of fear. “It will be fine, it will work; they will know that I came to do things properly. They will hear me, see me, restore me…”

Just before the sunrise is due the first rain drops hit Magnus’ cheeks. After ten minutes Magnus cannot tell the difference between rain or tears on his face; they have mingled together perfectly and completely. “Odin? Thor? Why? What have I done wrong? Didn’t I sacrifice, didn’t I go to great lengths, didn’t I seek all this wholeheartedly? Why…why…!” He looks at the sky, the colour of lead, rain pouring down steadily, softly… “Even the sky is crying,” he groans, “even the sky is grieved, but you didn’t hear me; you wouldn’t grant me my one wish, my one heart’s desire?” In the grey semi darkness of dawn Magnus stumbles through fields, long grasses a clear sign that the land is favoured by the gods… On and on he stumbles, the grass wet and cold against his legs, his shoes soaked in rain and mud, whispering and muttering, the main word being ‘why?’. He struggles on, downhill, further and further away from the laughing, singing crowd; further away from the shouting druids who even now are still calling out to the sun to arise. He doesn’t know where he is going, doesn’t care either. Through fields, more fields, across a large but deserted road; blinded by rain and tears Magnus staggers on.

Then he reaches the end of where he can go. He has reached the banks of a river. He can hear the gurgling noise of the river, floating by as usual, laughing at him, mocking him. Magnus yanks the hammer from his pocket, leaving his pocket in needs of repair, and with a roar as primal as Thor himself, he flings the hammer, the mjorvil into the river with all his might. “Keep it! Keep it!” He yells, and all his hopes, his dreams and expectations sink to the bottom of the flowing river like his silver mjorvil. Magnus buries his face into the wet grass, and cries; big, heaving sobs, anger and hopelessness fighting each other in his heart. When all his anger, fear and grief is spent and his tears have run their course, he drags himself to his feet. He looks around; now what? In the distance he can see the first houses, a road, cars, reality. Slowly he walks over to civilization, to normality, to Esther. The taxi driver is obviously used to weird and wonderful people around these parts of the world this time of year, for he asks no questions and makes no comment when a wet, muddy, exhausted Magnus tumbles into his cab.

Esther stares and her mouth opens, but she doesn’t even know where to start with her questions. “Oh Magnus, oh my darling sweetheart, what on earth has happened?” She rushes around, getting him clean clothes, towels, anything he might need, and switches the kettle on for some coffee. She looks at him, her strong, handsome husband, looking like a dying man, a drowning man. Poor Magnus, what has happened? She wonders if he got robbed, especially when she spots the ripped pocket. No, she thinks, Magnus would have been livid, and possibly muddy and bruised, but they wouldn’t have gotten away with it! No, something very serious has happened. Also, I don’t think there was any sunrise this morning, what with the rain that obviously has been coming down for a good few hours… Oh dear, poor chap!

Magnus won’t talk about it. After a hot bath, an even hotter cup of coffee and a huge cooked breakfast, he goes back to bed, to catch up some sleep. All he does when asked is grunt about the sun not rising, as it was raining. That afternoon they travel back home, Magnus still mute and looking as if he’s feeling sick. He stares at the fields flashing past the windows, not seeing anything but a bleak, black hole; not feeling anything apart from an icy cold snake twisted around his heart, squeezing…squeezing… until he fears that he really might be sick any moment…

Esther is worried about Magnus. They have been home several days now, and his face is still as grim as it was when he first shuffled into the room at their B&B that fateful morning. She is still in the dark about what happened at Stonehenge, apart from the fact that the sunrise didn’t happen because of the rain. One day, when tidying up the large bedroom, she decides to have another quick look at the strange little silver charm in the bassinet. To her consternation, it’s not there! It has gone, and even after she searches all round the bassinet, there is no silver shape. She sits down, thinking hard. This really has left her very curious. She knew Magnus had something on his mind when he went to the Summer Solstice thing at Stonehenge. Something went wrong there, and now the little silver shape has been taken from the bassinet. Are those two things connected?

That evening she decides to talk to Magnus; after all, his silence and woebegone face have lasted long enough… At first he won’t say much; he just grunts, shrugs his shoulder, and says, “Well, nothing happened, that is the whole point. It rained, end of story.” Esther can be very persistent though, and she just senses that something is wrong, very wrong in fact. In the end, Magnus spins round from the long window, and looks at her, his face contorted with grief, and the dam breaks, tears stream down his face, and he sinks down on the bed. “The sun wouldn’t rise, the gods wouldn’t even shine on us, on me! I needed the sun to rise, to show us favour, to restore us, to bring us fortune and health…to grant us a son..” He cries, Esther holding him tight, dismayed, stunned. Magnus, her Magnus, her larger than life Viking, heartbroken and sobbing like a lost man! She holds him, strokes him, kisses his wet cheeks, whispers her love to him. The storm passes as fast as it came, Magnus looking embarrassed; taking shuddering breaths in order to control himself once more, with Esther loving him more than ever. “The sun didn’t rise, and I feel it will never rise again for me, for us…I tried to pay the gods, give them all I could, did all I could; but they didn’t smile on me, on us.” He sighs, sounding so sad, so defeated.

He looks up at Esther, and hesitatingly says, “What about your God? Could we give Him something…you know, pay Him, do something so He will smile on us in favour?” Esther’s eyes fill with tears immediately, she hugs Magnus tight and takes a deep breath, looking for words to explain her God to her sweet husband, this brave Viking who realises that some things are beyond man’s power.

“Oh Magnus, my God can’t be bribed; he can’t be paid, as He owns all things, made all things, gives us all things. It’s like paying Him with stuff that belongs to Him already! He doesn’t need our possessions, He wants us; He wants our hearts, our minds and our strength. He wants us to live for Him, and Him only, for He wants our all; and then we will find our all in all in Him… He is called the Sun, the Sun of righteousness. You missed the sunrise at the Solstice, but He promises that unto those that fear His Name, The Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings… You see, He can heal our hearts, heal and restore us. Oh Magnus, he is the Sun that will never go down, who will never leave us in the dark. We can trust Him and ask Him, any day of the year, at any time and at any place. No rituals are needed, no money is needed, only our hearts. All we need is to put our faith in Him, and in His gift to us. He gave His life, so that we might have eternal life. Don’t you see?”

Magnus does see, and he wants to trust, he really does. Fear makes him hold back though, and with a hoarse whisper he says, “Can you ask your God then? Ask Him to bring healing to us, to me? To bring peace, to shine His light on us?” They hold each other tight, tears flowing freely; healing tears this time, tears with no bitterness, no anger, tears of hope and peace. The snake in Magnus is uncoiling, loosening his heart, allowing him to breathe, to hope in a future. Magnus feels his heart warming up, light streaming in, chasing the snake, shrinking it, weakening it; and for the first time since that fateful morning, the Sun has come up, the Dayspring has arisen in his heart!

Magnus

What has gone wrong, and when did it happen? Magnus is standing in the kitchen, peering through the latticed window into the garden; absentmindedly noticing the weeds. That still needs doing as well, he sighs; just add it to the list of wrongs and troubles. He is worried, and even though he hates to admit it, in a small dark corner of his heart, he can feel a slither of fear, wriggling, growing…

Magnus tries to think back; back to before…well, before things went off track, and life ended up out of his control. He thinks of his large home, his Norse family, his beautiful mother, and something like homesickness stirs in him. “I miss you guys, I really do! Mum, I miss seeing your blue hair and your graceful way of moving. Björn, I miss your humour, your strength, your support…” Magnus stops, takes a deep breath, runs his fingers through his own blue hair, and groans. “Oh great! Now I’m talking to myself, moaning, complaining, and wanting my past back. This is not good, this is so not good!”

Abruptly Magnus turns away from the large window, strides out of the kitchen, though the light lounge; he walks quickly through the foyer with the beautiful door and windows, worried a friend might come in for a chat, and slips into the hobby room, unnoticed. “This won’t do, this moping around won’t help. It’s just…I just need someone to talk to, somebody who can understand.” For a split second an image slides through his mind. The image of his sweet wife, Esther, sitting outside near the beach, smiling, looking relaxed, praying to her invisible God. He laughs, a different laugh than the rest of the family is so used to. It’s a harsh, scornful noise, one that they have never heard before. “What good would that do? Speaking to a God like Esther’s God? She insists He has everything under control, and everything is for the best. Well, I don’t see much control! How can a God who allowed Himself to be killed be of any use! I could just do with some of Odin’s acquired wisdom right now…”

Magnus picks up his guitar, and plucks away with abandon; the wild music matching the turmoil inside his heart. He loves Esther, absolutely adores her. He is even pleased that Esther worships God, as it does make her happy, and loving and to be honest, anything Esther does pleases him really. He smiles, his music mellows whilst thinking about Esther. He thinks about their meet up, the ribbing from Björn beforehand, when he had spent ages getting ready for the party. He still can hear his own words to his handsome cousin, “Well, some of us know how to make a woman happy, you know! I’m going to marry that girl, and I want to do things properly. She deserves that; any woman deserves that, so it’s worth making an effort, isn’t it? Just to please her, to look like I value her…”

Björn had laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder, so Magnus had to struggle to suppress the coughing and spluttering it caused, as Björn would laugh even more! He could tell Björn was pleased though, and even a little proud of his little cousin! His sisters had looked at him with adoration and pride, wishing him well, saying how lucky Esther was, and how he was obviously in the good books of the gods. They made little jokes about Frey, and wondered out loud what he had paid this god to favour him so much… He had laughed with them, pleased as well; feeling grand and strong. He was definitely feeling like the rugged Viking that Esther wished for.

Their courtship had been wonderful, his face aching from smiling at this beautiful girl. She seemed so frail, and he just loved the feel of her small hands; loved it that he could pick her up and swing her round, making her squeal and go helpless with giggles. He liked how she asked his advice, and he loved giving it to her, watching the worry lines on her forehead smooth out and her eyes shine at him with admiration. She made him feel a man, her protector, her keeper, her husband. His guitar is singing along with the many dreamy memories, but at the word ‘protector’ he misses a note. The memory jarred, like the dropped note, and he frowns, music deep, restless. He remembers her at the Club, just before their wedding. “Only God can protect me, ultimately. No human being can fulfill all my needs, only God can. He has everything in His control.” Her voice sweet and clear, her soft smile and shining eyes focused on him, and he felt the beginnings of resentment growing in his heart. Jealousy, envy and resentment against this God. A God that he couldn’t see, and obviously couldn’t compete with in his wife’s heart.

He forces himself to slow down, to catch his breath, to stop grinding his teeth, and especially to go easy on the guitar. “One of these days a string will break. I should have gone for the yoga hobby.” He pulls a face straight away, “Nah, not my style; those leggings…Björn would have a fit if he saw me twisting and bending in those!” The music slows down with his heart rate, the tune becoming slower and sweeter, wistful, as Magnus remembers standing over the little bassinet. In his strong hands he could feel the cold, silver hammer, Thor’s hammer. He felt the smooth leather string, and he can see himself, bending over the empty bassinet, murmuring, pleading with Thor, Frey and Freya. Pleading with anyone, really, to give him a son, a true Viking son. He had finished, feeling his pleadings were starting to become more like begging, and of course, a Viking never pleads or begs! He had been desperate, but that was something nobody needed to know, not even the gods!

Just as he had finished, and was tucking the little hammer into the bassinet, Esther had come into the room. Her eyes had caught the little silver charm straight away, and she had asked him about it. He had explained it was a Viking token; said it was just a thing they did at home. She had smiled then, her beautiful smile that melts his heart every time. “Don’t you just love family traditions?” she had gushed, hugging him, snuggling close, breathing in his manly scent. “Our family hasn’t really got that many traditions, but I love them. Maybe, once we have children…” she had faltered, blushed almost as red as her hair, and continued, “once we have children we ought to establish traditions as well, don’t you think?” Ha, she didn’t know what she was asking! Think, with her around? He had noticed how all sensible thought fled before her…!

The music twangs away, sounding more like an Irish jig, going on an on, faster and faster, his dreamy smile growing bigger and bigger. He laughs, yes, he is a man in love! He was as sure as his sisters that the gods had favoured him. He thinks of the beautiful wedding, even though it seemed endless…he got tired of the tux after a while, it was too restrictive. He couldn’t lift his arms properly, and kept tugging at the material, as if there would be more of it all of a sudden. Esther looked like a princess, his princess. He just couldn’t take his eyes off her, her auburn hair glowing like…like…burnished gold, whatever that meant! He felt it just suited her…but then, gold was more yellow, wasn’t it? Oh well, who cares, he grins, strumming away, it was glowing, her face one big smile, her green eyes sparkling and dancing with delight. Yes, the wedding…

Then things had changed, and he wondered why the gods seemed turned against him all of a sudden. Not that he had realised straight away, I mean, it could just e a coincidence of course. Take the wedding reception, for example. Miriam wanted a wild party, a cheerful one, a bit garish, with Bright and Beautiful as theme. Samuel had agreed with his wife straight away. Esther didn’t; he remembered her face, he remembered the internal struggle visible in her eyes, as she said that she preferred a classy wedding. Magnus hadn’t cared either way; he had been to lots of parties, and always enjoyed them whatever the theme. In the end, Esther was overruled, and Bright and Beautiful it was. The day of the wedding reception came, and they were all dressed up in bright clothes, even Esther. Her smile had been genuine, and as bright as her outfit.

Magnus had wondered about that, as he had seen the disappointment and hurt in her face once the decision was made. He had expected her to go for the ‘beautiful’ in Bright and Beautiful, and although she was still very beautiful, she was definitely bright! Her face looked sunkissed, her eyes shining as ever, smile matching his. He had asked her about it, in a quiet moment, just before the onslaught of guests. Her answer had astonished him, and left him speechless. “I saw you looking at me, noticing my disappointment. I remembered telling you that I believed God was in control. I then wondered myself, that if God is in control, why do disappointing things happen, bad things happen, terrible things even… So I sat near the beach, and thought, and prayed, and I remembered what God says about His control. I understood, and I know I can trust Him, even when I face disappointments or grief…”

He had been astonished, wondering if she realised what she was saying. I mean, she was very disappointed, but sitting in the grass, talking to…to the sky made her trust…this unseen God, and suddenly she was no longer disappointed, but happily changed into a bright outfit, and her life is all sunshine again? Really? He also felt a little hurt and left out. He was her husband after all, and she never really discussed her hurt feelings with him. She never asked his advice on this party; she didn’t ask him how to deal with Miriam’s wild ideas. No, instead, she goes and finds a quiet spot to talk to her God. Magnus feels the resentment against this God growing, jealousy easily recognised now.

The party was a flop. Lots of people turned up; they actually reached level ten in no time, but hardly any of their friends were there! Magnus plays the guitar wilder and wilder, his heart beating as wild a rhythm as the guitar. “Not even Björn…or the girls… or anyone from my family made it! Even Esther’s stroppy sister Eva didn’t get in! Well, where was Esther’s God that day then? Why didn’t He control the party? What good was there in keeping our friends away, and just letting a bunch of strangers turn up?” Magnus feels the hurt, the grief still in his heart. He misses his family, and he had been so much looking forward to this party, desperate to show off his wonderful wife. He had planned out in his head what he would say to Björn, as long as Esther wasn’t nearby of course. Certain things you can tell your cousin, but without any ladies in earshot…

He sighs, still sad; disappointed in the party, although they did have a good time. He suddenly grins, of course they had a good time! Nobody will have a dull moment with Miriam and Samuel Vince around…let alone a dull party! He knew Miriam was a bit wild, but he’d never seen her at a party…goodness, poor Samuel, he’s got his hands full, he grins. Not just with Miriam and her outlandish schemes, but with his growing family as well. Samuel and Miriam have three children already! Every time the bassinet is empty they rush over, and claim the bassinet…again. Both Magnus and Esther have tried to be there first, but Miriam and Samuel seem absolutely determined, giggling, and laughing their wild laugh. No children have been granted to Magnus and Esther yet, in spite of their burning desire to have a family; a family of tiny, cute Vikings.

The grin drops, and so does the guitar. He manages to put the guitar on the stand, and walks as fast as he can without drawing attention to himself to the blue bathroom, hoping it is empty. There, in the quiet bathroom, he moans, leaning his head against the cool tiles. He hits his fist over and over on the tiles, groaning and gnashing his teeth to modulate his grief; grief that is rushing over him, drowning him, suffocating him. “Why, God, why…if You are there, and if You do care and love us, why… How can You stand by, how can You allow this to happen to us? Why…why! Is it because of me? Is it because I put the Mjölnir in the bassinet?”

He stops, gasps, and goes completely still. Not a sound can be heard, just the soft drip drip drip from the tap… He thinks about the little silver charm…wonders about it, mulling it over. He leans his head against the cold tiles, can still smell the very faint smell of new grout, and it makes him smile just a little. Esther had confessed to putting in the new tiles, to make it feel more Scandinavian, she had said. He sighs, allowing the coolness to calm him down, making it easier to think. He has to think; he has to weigh up his thoughts. It’s how he works; it’s how he deals with issues, and this is a huge matter; one that needs extra careful deliberation.

Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer, was the little silver amulet he had hidden in the bassinet. Was Esther’s God angry with him about that, and was that why He was punishing them both? Could that be it? Did her God need more sacrifices, more payment to be appeased, so both Thor and his other Norse gods would be happy as well as Esther’s God? Was it nothing to do with her God after all, and had he offended the Norse gods instead? How can he please them, pay them, bribe them even if necessary! Then he realises that it’s June, near the end of June…Midsummer Solstice…maybe…just maybe, there might be a chance; who knows, if he can please the gods at say, Stonehenge at the Summer Solstice, maybe they will grant him a son… Just maybe! Now to convince Esther to accompany him to Stonehenge…!

Bright and Beautiful

Paul and Eva have been engaged for ages, it seems. Esther keeps a close eye on the calendar, as she just wants to get to her own wedding day! There have been a few changes in SiMobile, and this always causes problems. Paul’s family is new in town, so Paul and Eva will be the first to get married in their household. This means that they will have to do the main Marriage Quest, an event that last for ever it seems. As Paul’s family is new, there are no tricks to speed up the process either! Eva grumbles every evening about the length of time each step takes.

“We looked at outfits, we looked at menus. Now we have to look at both again! It’s just never ending… All we want to do is get married and have a life. Why does everything have to be so hard? His parents are getting on, so Paul’s dad is actually ready to retire whenever we get married. The Proposal event went really quickly, but now it’s just one thing after another! Their bathroom is terrible, as they are new, so even a shower doesn’t make you feel that much better!”

Yes, Eva is definitely Miss Stroppy these days, hoping to turn into Mrs Stroppy soon, Esther grins to herself. Well, good luck to Paul, although he seems quite a happy, calm sort of guy. He needs to be too, there is no way they can replace walls or windows, so hopefully he will be able to keep Eva in a good mood. Then they get the wonderful news, the wedding has started! Not long now, Esther sighs a great sigh of relief, not long, and about time too! I wasn’t sure how much longer I could wait!

The day after Eva’s wedding her Permit arrives, and Eva spends the rest of the day snapping and packing, looking stressed in her rush to get out. “I didn’t realise we were that awful?” says Samuel, smiling, although his eyes are just a little darker green than usual. He must be annoyed, to let it get to him! “I have never seen anyone leave this home in such a rush! Paul must be amazing, or his house is like a palace, or…” He stops, for Eva has turned round, her face red, eyes glaring at everyone.

“No, it’s not this house, it’s not this family, it’s this town!” she hisses, surprising everyone with her anger! “We have been doing this wedding event for days and days, just to get married. On top of that, so many things have changed in SiMobile. We heard that it’s almost impossible to have a honeymoon baby now! First you have to do a baby event, and you have to attend all sorts of classes, buy stuff, do events. Then, in order to actually have the baby you need enough tickets to do so, just to prove that you can actually look after a baby! What has SiMobile come to, that they now want all prospective parents to prove themselves! I know there has been a lot of goings on in this town, and some families have more children than they should have. It’s just a silly rule, that will favour the rich and powerful, like…like…well, you know, friends we know of…!”

Eva stops then, going a brighter shade of red, realising that one of the families she was thinking of is her own father’s family, and as Samuel’s mother is her dad’s cousin, it means she grew up in the same house. The others just stare at her, too shocked for a moment to say something that isn’t going to come out all wrong. Samuel laughs, not one of his hilarious laughs though, a funny dry, short laugh. “Ha, you mean like our friends to whose parties we have been? I mean, the parties that you have been to? Like the party recently, where Esther met Magnus? Those sort of friends, with those sort of houses, you mean?”

Eva actually looks down, looking ashamed now. “I am sorry, I really am. It’s just, well…I just…” Eva stops, and swipes her eyes! Eva, the hard as nails Eva is actually crying! It is Samuel’s turn now to blush, and he hands Eva a tissue. “You see, Paul and I were so desperate to get married. We knew we had to do the official quest, and that it would take time. It just hadn’t registered how much time! I felt so bad, for I know Esther has been so looking forward to getting married, and I know you have spent lots of time with Miriam… When we finally got married, we were just looking at the…next ehm…step, and then,” tears start rolling again, and Eva mops away with the rather soggy tissue. “Well, we soon realised that in order to have children, there is a whole boatload of new events, new regulations and boxes to tick! The tickets are the worst, they are hard to get…”

Poor Eva! Esther really feels sorry for her sister. She can understand the pressure although not once has Eva let on that she was trying to do things as fast as possible to help Esther. On the contrary, she kept repeating how important it is to do all steps properly, to not rush a wedding, to really enjoy each day as it comes… Esther sighs, typically Eva, little Miss Windup, she thinks. This business about the needed tickets is bad though, as a lot of young families will struggle! “Oh Eva, how difficult it must be! Don’t worry, everything will work out for the best, you’ll see! Nothing happens by chance, God is in control.” A picture of a tiny silver hammer floats through her head and is gone, but the niggling worry stays behind.

Soon Eva’s bags are packed, and she says goodbye to them all. Moving to another family can be very hard, and soon the realise that the implications can be terrible. They can’t contact Eva, and she can’t contact them! How sad, only via family members can they keep in touch! Of course, many promises are made on that score! “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about extra quests, tickets and permissions!” says Samuel Vince, smiling around, but Esther did notice his quick look around to make sure Eva had definitely gone…

The house has space! It has gone very quiet, even though nothing much has changed, really! Mind you, Miriam makes up for any missing person, and is happy to fill any quiet moment. Samuel is clearly in love with her, and those two together are working on something, Esther is sure. Before Esther and Magnus have finished their events, Samuel Vince Mortina is strutting round the house in a blue tux, followed by a laughing and shrieking Miriam in a white dress. Their Wedding is Wild… Fortunately, Magnus and Esther have part of the event out of the house, at the Cub where Miriam works. It is very quiet at the club, making Esther giggle to Magnus, “No wonder it’s so quiet, Miriam is at the house!”

Esther thinks about the little hammer a lot; it still worries her. Magnus makes it sound as if it was just a family tradition, a family joke, but does he really see it that way? Esther smiles a little, “He really is a Viking, always talking about stuff he has done, things he can do, deeds to be done…almost as bad as Samuel with his Bringing Justice! He is a kind guy though!” Later that evening Esther is glad of Magnus and his Viking strength, for one of he guys at the Club is becoming a nuisance. Esther can feel herself getting flustered, and just wishes the man would go! Just when she thinks she will need to raise the alarm or something, there is a strong arm around her, and a deep voice challenges the annoying man.

“Leave the girl alone, you’ve done enough harm for one night, making a fool of yourself, annoying a lady. No go home, sleep it off, and behave yourself like a gentleman next time. You will be in serious trouble if I still see you in two minutes…” The man doesn’t need two minutes, and within a few seconds he has left the Club, heading towards the brand new bus stops Esther spotted on their way to the Club… Magnus turns her round, his face all smiles again, his voice still deep, but warm, rumbling, breathless… “You never worry about anything whilst with me, dearest Esther,” he commands, smiling, “I will take care of you, and I will make sure that nobody can harm you! Don’t worry about the guy, he won’t be back tonight. I love you, Esther, did I tell you already this last half hour?”

Esther laughs then, relieved that her Viking stepped up so nicely, and protected her. Relieved to see his caring face, and amused by his sweetness. “You only told me three times this half hour, you’re slipping!” She tells him, “Thank you, my dearest, for being my protector, I enjoyed that! I thank God for you every day; I thank him for your handsome face, and your strength, and your amazing warm heart…” She smiles at him, and is a little surprised and hurt to see his eyes darken a little, his broad smile slipping just a tad. “What is wrong? Have I said something to upset you?” she asks, quickly reviewing her words. What is it? She thinks, what did I say?

Magnus sighs, holds her a little tighter, and says, “I don’t quite get why you would thank God for me? I mean, our marriage was all arranged by our parents, we agreed, we met at the party, so why thank God? Also, I was the one that sent the guy packing. He ran off, because of me, not because God brought thunder down on him. I was here, at the Club, with you; you’re my fiancée, almost my wife. So of course I would come to your rescue, and I will always do so. It’s my duty and delight,” his smile is a bit broader, definitely his eyes look more mischievous, “definitely an delight, to protect you, to be with you, to keep you safe. You know, at home Bjorn and I used to do lots of wrestling. Well, you know how big he is, but I didn’t lose that often…!”

Esther giggles, men and their games… Then she turns serious again, because what he has said is serious, and she wonders how to explain, without offending him. She groans, “Lord, do I really need to explain all this? Can’t I just leave it, and explain another day, in another conversation, or can’t somebody else explain…?” She knows the answer though, and actually blushes a little for she feels a bit of a coward, backing out of an awkward conversation! “I know what you are saying, and I do understand. However, I believe God ordains things, brings things about, orders things right. So I truly believe that our meeting up, our arranged marriage, is a gift of God. You are a gift of God, and I love you even more because of that!”

She stops, wondering how Magnus will react. He is very quiet for a moment, thinking about her words, turning them round in his head, in his heart. Then he grins at her, “Well, I can definitely live with the idea of being God’s gift to you! That’s pretty cool, and does a lot for a man’s ego!” He hugs her, spinning her round and round, all serious talk forgotten, for the wedding is at the door, it will be a white dress for her, a tux for him…then they will be husband and wife!

The wedding is wonderful, even though it’s a formality in SiMobile but to Esther is the most wonderful of events, as it is an event done with Magnus. He looks incredibly handsome in his tux, and she feels like a princess in her white dress. The time speeds by, the event seems short because of its beauty and sweetness. Esther’s face aches from smiling, her eyes hurt from the camera flashes, her feet are sore for they danced too much, and the entire event wears her out. Magnus is over the moon, he loves his tux, but wears his red jacket for part of the event, explaining that the red looks great with her white dress!

Esther notices his eyes though, and it actually thrills her as well as making her nervous. Magnus watches her, a lot. Not just in the normal way, like he always does, with pride and joy shining in his big eyes, but more thoughtful at odd moments. Esther is secretly thrilled, for she can tell that he is actually thinking about the incident at the Club, and her explanation. She can tell that he watches her, to see how she lives out her words. This is what makes her nervous, for she knows how small things can really upset her. She tends to worry about small issues, knowing it’s wrong, but seemingly unable to stop herself from doing so.

The big test arrives soon after their glorious wedding. There is a small family celebration, as both Magnus and Miriam have been granted their Moving Permits, and both have walked in with huge suitcases. Now the four of them are sharing the big house, they decide to have a proper Wedding Reception. Miriam is very keen, “Ohhh, I love parties! My parents only had the one, just for Paul and Eva to meet, and for me to meet up with Samuel! It was a tiny party, hardly anywhere for guests to stand, the house is so minute!” Her head back, she roars with laughter, nudging Samuel with her elbow at the same time.

It takes a while before both have finished laughing, and then bit longer before they’re all ready to carry on the planning. Esther loves style, she loves long dresses, graceful garments, showing class. She prefers a wedding party where all the guests turn up in their best outfit, refined, pleasant, and for everyone to just have a wonderful time. Magnus doesn’t mind at all; he has been to all types of parties, his family do wild parties and classy parties, so as long as Esther is happy, well, he, Magnus is thrilled. That leaves Miriam and Samuel. It is Miriam who pipes up, making Esther gasp with her proposal, “Let’s have a really bright one, you know, a fun one! Everyone gets to wear whatever they want as long as it’s colourful, and just have a uproarious time!”

Samuel is laughing, and agrees straight away. Miriam and Samuel do a high five (really? Esther just about manages to stop the eye rolling) and cheer, and start discussing possibilities straight away. Esther hesitates, but decides to give it a shot, “Are you sure? I mean, don’t we normally wear a wedding gown type dress for the Wedding Reception? You see, it would make it feel more like a Reception, won’t it? Well, what I mean is, a lot of people wear really bright clothes anyway, they might want to wear something…chic…something stylish I mean…” She stops, blushing, struggling to sound upbeat, openminded, as if she is totally up for the weird and crazy, but just wanted to mention the…normal, proper option as well.

It doesn’t work; Miriam laughs her wild laugh again, and vetoes it straight off, “Nooooo, that’s so stiff and starchy, you don’t want that! Our friends love a bit of a laugh, don’t they? I mean, everyone knows that people in big houses get up to all sort of…hahahah…well, fun, for want of a better word! Let’s do it! I can’t wait, it’ll be hilarious!” Magnus watches Esther, she can feel his eyes, watching her, assessing her, remembering her bold words and great claims. So, if what she said is correct, then this is also in God’s control?

Esther struggles, she has to give in to the others and the party invites are sent out, calling the theme Bright and Beautiful. The last bit was a concession to Esther, as some people do like to dress up in style, even Miriam admitted that much. Esther has to think about this big question though, and she just finds a quiet spot, right behind the Granny Annexe. She sits down, feeling herself relax; the sun overhead warming her bones, the waves hitting the beach, calming her, restoring her. “Lord, I don’t understand. You said all things work to the good of those that love You. You promised that not a hair can fall off our head without Your knowledge. You said not a sparrow can hit the ground without Your consent. So how does that work with things like…like stuff I don’t want?”

Esther feels herself calming down, relaxing, peace rolling over her like the waves rolling over the nearby beach. The sound of the waves rolling, washing the beach, makes her think of her auntie’s favourite hymn, ‘When Peace Like a River…’ and she realises that it has a good part of the answer to her question. “Of course,” she whispers, “of course, it keeps repeating, ‘It is well with my soul’, so of course, part of the answer is that God doesn’t give us a perfect life on earth. The best is yet to come, and this world is a fallen world, so there will always be grief and evil. God is still in control though…”

Esther smiles, and rolls onto her front, feeling her face starting to have a familiar tightness, which means the sun is turning her skin a bright red. With the party coming up, that is not such a great thing to happen. “At least it will be bright,” she suddenly giggles, then her face lights up a bit more, “Yes! That’s it! Joseph! He actually explained to his brothers and told them that they meant the whole throwing-in-the-pit incident for evil, but God meant it for good! The incident brought Joseph to Egypt, got him into prison, ordered it so he got to meet the cupbearer and explain his dream, who remembered it rather late and that brought Joseph before Pharaoh to explain Pharaoh’s dreams, who made him governor of Egypt, which made Joseph save his family! Wow, what a long line of incidents, all terrible, sad, painful…but meant for good! All under God’s control…”

She smiles then, relieved that she has managed to work it out in her own heart; grateful for the quiet moment of reflection. Suddenly she finds herself looking forward to the Reception, wandering in her mind’s eye through her wardrobe, wondering if amongst her very sensible collection of clothes there will be something Bright! She finds herself rushing over to the house, caught up in the whole spirit of the party, looking forward to meeting the guests, showing off her amazing husband, dreaming of, no trusting in, a Bright and Beautiful future…

Growing closer

Even good parties have to end, some sooner than others. Esther is just so relieved that she managed to meet Magnus at his own home, however daunting it was! It is nice to meet at parties, she thinks, meeting somebody amongst friends and family, although I wished it had been somewhere private really. Esther is sitting in the lounge, photobook on the brand new coffee table made of beautiful light coloured wood, matching the wooden floor. She sits there, looking at recent pictures. She strokes the pictures of her and Magnus, grinning, remembering her nervousness, and Magnus’ kindness. It seems so long ago, for so many things have happened. She chuckles when she remembers the first date at the café.

“I thought we would never get away,” she whispers, smiling broadly, when she sees the next picture, “the party went on for ages, and I was so nervous! Björn was there, watching, and lots of other friends and relatives… we managed to leave together though, and how wonderful the date was!” The café had not been too busy, so they actually got a table, rather than just sing, talk to he plant and check mugs. Her smile fades a tiny bit, for it was in the cafe’s bright light, sitting opposite Magnus at a tiny table that she managed to get a good look. She loved his smiling face, his kind eyes, and his broad shoulders. It was his hair…she hadn’t quite realised how blue his hair was… he had even dyed his eyebrows and stubble!

Esther hadn’t said anything, of course not, but a tiny shiver had rocked her heart. She looks at the pictures in front of her; Magnus in his bright red jacket, and blue beard and eyebrows. She sighs a little, as it feels so petty! He is such a wonderful young man, so helpful and kind, and here she is, moaning about his hair colour. It is just that I imagined him as a Viking, she thinks, smiling a sad smile now. I have let my imagination run away with me again!

She turns the pages of the album, the pages of her heart as well, for she has to move on from these feelings, somehow! She looks at her phone, looks at the door. Magnus will be here any minute now. She feels her heart skipping a bit faster, her breath speeding up just by thinking about him. He really is a great guy, she thinks, her smile growing with anticipation. Miriam has already arrived, to spend time with cousin Samuel. She can hear them in the kitchen, stirring something to eat no doubt, as well as stirring up trouble… Miriam’s raucous laughter can be heard all through the house. Esther looks at the album, biting her lip. Is Miriam really the right person for Samuel Vince? Samuel likes a joke, he is quite noisy himself, laughs a lot, but Miriam takes it to a completely new level!

“I’m glad my Viking is a lot more refined,” she thinks smugly, “he just knows how to behave towards a girl!” Then she remembers her first meeting, and how she had heard him laugh from the next room. Esther giggles to herself, “Oops I think I’m biased! His laugh is not coarse though, it’s a good manly laugh!” She can hear the door being opened, and quickly puts the album away and gets up to smooth her clothes before briskly walking up to the main doors. Magnus’ smile grows very bright indeed when he sees his girl, his Esther. He hugs her, almost lifting her off the ground! He goes to say hello to Samuel Vince and Miriam, before having some tea with Esther.

She watches him, and notices how well he gets on with Samuel. They both laugh, and chat, standing straight, making themselves bigger and taking a wide stance, like sailors on a moving ship. She can’t hide the grin, until she sees Miriam watching the men as well. Miriam is laughing her wild laugh, and sidles up to Samuel Vince, tugging his arm to get him closer. She doesn’t take her eyes off Magnus though, and Esther all of a sudden feels something like panic starting up in her chest. “Hands off,” she whispers to herself, glaring at Miriam, who looks back with her bright blue eyes, laughs loudly, tosses her black hair over her shoulder, and drags Samuel out of the kitchen. “Come on, Samuel, let’s go. Where were we? Was the proposal next, or were we still on the last short event?”

Magnus sees Esther’s upset face, and laughs, taking her in her arms. “Ignore them,” his voice rumbles in her ear, “she’s just winding you up! Samuel will have to watch her, she’ll run rings round him! It’s much more important that we remember where we got to last time, don’t you think?” He turns her round, so she is facing the kitchen counter, and whispers’ “You promised me your favourite pudding. Don’t you realise that a man’s love goes via his stomach?”

Esther feels her heart becoming closer to Magnus every day. He is great to be with, listens well to her chatter, and is so patient! Samuel likes him as well, although when he tells Esther what he and the lads get up to, she wonders if they are really talking about the same Magnus… Esther loves how Magnus takes charge, making her feel cherished and cared for. He opens the door for her, guiding her through it with a strong but gentle hand. She smiles to herself, yes, she has fallen for him alright! “You are everything I need in another person,” she confides in him that afternoon, when she is trying to hide her clammy hands on the sofa. She really wants to explain to him how she feels for him, but doesn’t want to go all weepy on him! “You see, I get so worried about things; what people think of me, and if I have upset somebody, or if my work is good enough… I know it’s silly and I know that in Jesus I’m perfect, and the only thing that really matters is how God sees me. I forget, though, and I start worrying about little things, never feeling good enough…” she stops, as she knows that if she carries on, her tears would come.

Magnus smiles his extra kind smile, and gives her a squeeze. “Don’t worry so much; you are a wonderful person, and you have so much strength and courage, nobody will be able to get you down!” Esther looks at his strong face, and smiles back; she has too! Something inside her wobbles though, for she knows that nobody is perfect of themselves; there is nobody in the world that you can trust all the time for all things. Every person is fallible, had faults, issues, failures… She looks at her strong, brave Viking, and feels a little sadness spring up, like a tiny warning sign, reminding her that even her handsome Viking will not do for everything. “God, you’re my all, my everything, my Peace, my ultimate Protector, and I am grateful for this wonderful man, who is such a special gift!”

Magnus seems to have forgotten the incident with Miriam within minutes of them leaving the kitchen, helped by Esther’s pudding no doubt, but Esther is worried. That Miriam, honestly, you never now what the girl will do next. She isn’t one for hanging around either, and before Esther and Magnus have finished all the events necessary, Miriam and Samuel Vince Mortina are officially engaged! Esther is very upset; she manages to hide this from Samuel who comes to tell her the exciting news, his smile almost as wide as Miriam’s. At least he is kind about it, and says, much quieter, “You and Magnus will get there soon as well. Also, you know that Magnus’ Moving Permit will have top priority, because of his family? Miriam’s parents are new in town, and they’re not even married, they didn’t have the money. Eva has just received her Moving Permit, as she got engaged to Paul recently, so that will speed things up. We will have to wait for her to actually move out though. She and Paul are getting married, but as they are the first couple in the family to do so, it will be a long and very expensive process. Eva insisted on it though, said she wanted to be made an honest woman.” Samuel had suddenly laughed, one of his mischievous laughs, and adds, “I wonder if she really does, or whether she just wants to annoy people; make people wait, string Paul along to all sorts of endless appointments, you know, shopping for clothes, checking the menu, that sort of thing. I wouldn’t put it past your sister…!”

Neither would Esther, but all she can think of is her own marriage, and the wait for her and Magnus if Miriam gets her papers first. Especially as they’re engaged, they now will be able to get married, and she is quite sure that Miriam really doesn’t mind waiting for her permit, even if she has been married for a while already. Esther and Magnus agreed to marry at the very time that his papers will be in the post. That way they will be able to have their wedding night in the Mortina House. Esther looks round her room, and all of a sudden she feels the tears dripping on her hands! She just cracks after all the stress and worry, the excitement and anticipation. It just is too much all of a sudden. She lies down on her bed, and sobs and sobs. Half her tears are happy tears, the other half are sad, worried, scared and disappointed tears.

After a while she calms down, and she sits up, looking round the room. She wonders who will have the big room, the blue room with the bassinet. If Magnus gets his Permit first, and…and they fill the bassinet first…she puts her hands on her belly, trying to imagine the baby growing, with typical SiMobile speed, lying in the little family bassinet. She looks at the bassinet, a sweet, warm smile softens her face, making her look like a beautiful young woman, a woman loving, living. Then, her smile disappears just as suddenly, and she gives a little gasp. “Oh! Oh, I had forgotten…I wonder…No, he said, didn’t he? It…it just felt so wrong… Lord, I don’t know what to do, or say, or even think,” she breathes, “it was such a strange incident, and well, I love Magnus, he is such a good and kind man, so I’m sure what he did was alright? I just feel worried about it, and…and I have to admit Lord, that it just doesn’t seem to line up. With the verse about being unequally yoked, about light and darkness not having fellowship together…But then, this is Magnus, and he seems so full of light and life…I can’t see…Oh God, I just don’t know, but it feels wrong.”

She lies back on the bed, arms behind her head, thinking, staring at the ceiling. It had happened the other day, soon after the Proposal event. She had come into this room to get a special dress for a party they both wanted to go to. She had found Magnus, standing by the bassinet, holding something in his hand, whispering, mumbling something, and then he put the item, which looked like a little silver cross on a leather string in the bassinet. When he spotted Esther, his face had become one big smile, like it always did on seeing her. She had asked him what he had done, curious, as the little item seemed like a cross. He had laughed his loud, warm, rumbling laugh, and explained, “No my love, it’s a very old Viking thing that we do in our family. We have done so for endless generations, as long as I know. It’s a little Viking symbol, and you put it in the bassinet, you know, as a token for the little one; to show that he belongs, you see.” From this, she had guessed that it wasn’t a little silver cross then…she had wondered what it was, but didn’t want to ask; didn’t want to hurt his feelings, although he never seemed to think in those terms.

Esther sits up, suddenly overcome with nosiness, unable to constrain herself any longer, and after a very quick peek outside the door, to listen to where everyone was in the rambling Mortina home, she quickly goes up to the little bassinet, and her fingers curl round the little cool object on the leather strap. She brings it out, and stares in horror. No, it’s definitely not a cross. It’s a little hammer, a Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer. A Viking symbol. A Norse symbol, here, in her home, put there by her fiancé, and even knowing what it is, she still is unsure what to do, if she should do something that is…Well, apart from slipping it back into its place, her mind whirling, hands clammy, her mouth dry. She turns away from the bassinet, and all she can think is, “I need to think. I’m sure it’s alright, but I need to think…”

Expectations

Young Esther Mortina looks round the bathroom, the room still smelling of the special glue used on the tiles. She is pleased, a smug smile lighting up her face. When she hears the door open behind her she turns round, and her smiles grows even bigger. “Hi Mum,” she says, voice vibrating with excitement, “do you like it? I just love the softer colour in this bathroom. It makes it look more…I don’t know, more Scandinavian.” Her mother laughs, shakes her head, and gives the excited Esther a hug. “I just wanted he house to feel more ‘me’ and I thought, if I do this room, then somehow it will feel more real, you know?” she says to her mum, looking a little worried now, wondering if her mum will be upset.

Tabitha smiles, shakes her head again, and comments, “Don’t you worry girl, I think it does look lovely. Not sure about it looking Scandinavian, but of course, if you feel it does, well, that’s all that matters!”

Esther looks shocked at that, and reacts with a “No, it’s not for me, Mum! I want Magnus to feel at home once we are married and he comes to live here!” She looks round her again, her frown growing steadily now. “Do you think he’ll like it? Of course, their house is lovely, and he’ll probably take ages to settle, don’t you think? I mean, he loves his family, and they all have Norse names, so I just wanted to have at least one room that felt a bit more homelike…” Yes, the frown is now fully grown, and firmly in place. Tabitha sighs, Esther is as changeable as the weather. English weather that is; English weather in…in Autumn, or early Spring!

“Sweetheart, I’m sure the young man will be fine, and I’m sure he’ll only have eyes for you. Unless he is really into design, or a professional decorator or whatnot, he’s probably not even going to notice the colour of the tiles. Don’t worry about it, I’m sure it will all work out!” She hugs Esther a bit tighter, a little sad to see the worry lines still in place, eyes wandering round the bathroom, inspecting it, imagining her Viking in it… Will it be good enough?

The worry lines disappear soon enough though, for Esther checks her emails on the computer and sees the party invite! There it is, the party of all parties, as far as Esther is concerned! The party of her life, as it will be the very moment she will meet Magnus. Magnus her Viking, promised to her in marriage, and this party will be the start of their future together. She will get to meet him, in person, at his home… His cousin is throwing the party, and she is a little in awe of Bjorn. He seems so grown up and mature from what she has heard, and to actually meet him at this special party…it all seems a bit daunting! Somehow, meeting Kiera, Magnus’ mum seems less frightening than his older cousin. She has seen Kiera round the house before, talking to her parents, arranging matters no doubt. Her hair is a beautiful shade of blue, and although Esther would never dye her hair, she secretly thinks it suits Kiera.

The countdown to the party starts, and Esther’s heartrate goes up in sync with the hours. She keeps looking through the home catalogues, wondering if she’ll be able to persuade her slightly boisterous nephew and morose sister to part with some of the Mortina money…just to buy some Norse looking furniture. It would be a nice touch, she thinks. She looks across the room at Eva, who is actually looking quite pleased with life for a change. Probably because of her own party invite, where she’ll finally get to meet up with Paul. Esther starts to take a breath to make the suggestion, then quietly breathes out again. She has just remembered the awful time she’s had with Eva not that long ago. Eva had been terrible, accusing Esther of all sorts of things, complaining and attacking her. They made up, of course they did, they were sisters after all. Cousin Samuel had helped a bit with his comments, but Esther was quite sure that Eva would have come round of her own accord as well. To ask for money at this point might be asking for more trouble though.

Esther sighs, there isn’t that much Norse looking stuff in the catalogue anyway, so it might not be worth digging up the hatchet for that. Now dresses, well, that is a different matter all together! She will need a dress, something pretty, something that makes her stand out. Probably something colourful; judging by his mum’s hair, he might like strong colours. She fleeting wonders about genetics and hair colours, but dismisses it from her mind, as she knows exactly what a Viking, Her Viking, looks like. Her looks are what matters at this moment, as she wants to catch his eye, wants to make the right impression on Magnus. She knows the marriage is all arranged, promises made as much as possible, but nothing is set in stone. The SiMobile Government can easily overthrow things like parties, or refuse to give out a Moving Permit, or… Esther shudders, the Government is very powerful, who knows what could go wrong!

The last thing she wants is for Magnus to regret the whole thing. It would be awful if he will just agree to the date at the café, out of a sense of duty, but nothing more. What if there is absolutely no spark between them? What if he looks down on her, thinks she is dowdy and plain, boring and not worth his time? He could pull out of the arrangement easily enough! Esther can feel her hands starting to get clammy, little dewdrops start to appear on her nose and forehead, making her auburn hair look darker. She takes a deep breath, and when that doesn’t help, decides to do what she does best: check the web! He dashes over to her computer, legacy of her Dad and uncle, and types in what she fears the most: ‘Pulling out from Arranged Marriage’.

Her heart beats a wild, skipping dance when she sees the amount of pages coming up. “Oh no,” she whispers, her hands shaking so much that she can’t type in any more. “Oh no, it’s so common! Look, party cancelled last minute, unable to meet. Party full, unable to attend meeting up party. Sibling refused Permit, so unable to move in my newly wedded husband.. Oh no, Ohhh, what am I going to do? If it falls through…I can’t cope, I will never be able to bear it, I…I won’t be able to carry on with my life as if nothing happened! I want to retire straight away, I want to…to just disappear! I know something will go wrong, look at the statistics, it’s bound to go wrong… Lord, what am I going to do? I couldn’t bear it, I just couldn’t bear it…” She drops her head on her arms next to the keyboard, and sobs, and sobs…as if the disaster has already arrived!

That is how her aunt finds her. She only came to dust the grand piano, as the dark red wood shows up the dust so badly, when she finds her niece sobbing as if something dreadful has happened. “Esther dear, what has happened? Come on, dear child, come on, calm down a bit and tell me! I’m sure we can assist you somehow; come on now, it used to be my job to counsel courteously, so let me try and help you!” Victoria K. Mortina also used to assist as a superhero in her younger days, but she doesn’t normally mention that, and she is sure that her niece doesn’t want to hear that at this time.

Esther sits up, and dries her face, calming herself down a little with great effort, and looks at her aunt, despair in her eyes, “Oh Auntie Victoria,” she begins, sobs still stretching some of the syllables in awkward places, “I just looked up about arranged marriages not working out…so many pages came up, there is just so much that can go wrong! I just feel all may be lost, and if I don’t get to meet Magnus, or if he changes his mind, or…or if SiMobile Government refuses to give out the permit, then…Oh auntie,” and new grief overcomes poor Esther, and she breaks down in wails again, “I couldn’t bear it,” she wails, “I just couldn’t bear it, and I wouldn’t know what to do!”

Her aunt is so astonished that she doesn’t say anything; she just stares at Esther with her mouth open. Gracious, this entire emotional outburst is all for the ‘worst case scenarios’ of SiMobile life? Seriously? Victoria takes a deep breath and using her well polished court room voice says, quite sternly, but kindly, “Esther, calm down at once. This won’t do, you can’t go and meet Magnus with red eyes and a drippy nose. The poor lad won’t know what hit him! Listen child, you are wasting energy on ‘what ifs’. That’s a foolish road to travel, as it leads you nowhere. Yes, it’s possible that calamity is waiting for you down the road, and you’ll have to deal with it as best you can. There is nothing certain in SiMobile, nothing. Not even retirement, as the Llama Flu can prevent people from retiring. You have to do the best you can though, and trust in God for the rest. As a famous general once said, ‘Trust in God and keep your powder dry’. Do what you can, and leave the rest to Him.

Esther is starting to feel a little embarrassed over her outburst; well, more than embarrassed really, it all of a sudden looks so silly! What has gotten into her! Going off on one like that? Her aunt smiles at her, and gives her a careful hug, trying to keep her purple dress meticulously neat. “Don’t worry, sweetie, we all get jittery about something or other! It’s just the nerves, we totally understand that. It’s such a big occasion, that very first party! I still remember mine..” her eyes glaze over, and a very dreamy smile grows and grows. “There was your uncle, standing in room, by himself, and I recognised him straight away, went up to him, we got chatting, and well, here we are! Married for many years now, retired, enjoying our twilight years still together.” Esther didn’t think the dreamy smile could grow anymore, but she was wrong: it could and did!

After washing her face, and shaking her head at herself in the mirror over the sink, she walks over to the wardrobe. The big decision: what to wear! She grins then, remembering her Dad quoting, ‘A woman has two problems: nothing to wear, and not enough space in her wardrobe’. How true, she grins, how very true, Dad. Mmmmm, that red dress..? Nope, not with my hair colour. Pink? No, too sweet. Ah, this is the one, I just know it! Blue and green, and bold and beautifully cut, that is it!”

Esther twirls around in her dress. It really is a lovely dress, if not a little short… She plucks at it a little; she doesn’t want Magnus to think she’s giving out the wrong message! It does show off her shape in a lovely way though, making her feel special, beautiful, attractive. If only Magnus thinks the same, she sighs, feeling a funny flutter in her stomach, travelling up into her throat. She is nervous, very nervous, but it’s a happy nervousness, her eyes sparkling, her auburn hair soft and a little wavy.

The first person she meets at the party is Bjorn. Yes, his is everything she imagined him to be, the strong older cousin, gauging her, assessing her, not in an unkind manner, but definitely feeling protective when it comes to his younger cousin. Esther tries to look as graceful and assured as she can under Bjorn’s scrutiny, actually appreciating his care for his younger relatives. She walks up to Bjorn, feeling shy, and struggling to breath. She would love to look around her, glancing at the other people attending the party, convinced she can spot a Viking a mile off. Spot her Viking better than anyone keeping watch along the coast was able to spot the ‘dragon-ships’! Esther forces herself to look ahead at the man in front of her, and keeps her smile in place, somehow. She can tell the regard Bjorn has for Magnus, and she is suddenly glad. “So, Esther? Have you met my little cousin yet?” Bjorn asks her, a small smile making him look a little less threatening. She tries to laugh lightly, but can hear herself give off an odd giggle, “No, not yet, I just arrived, and wanted to come and thank you for the party first,” she says, feeling her cheeks starting to warm up.

Bjorn smiles, and waves his hand round, encompassing the house. “Well, he’s here somewhere, just follow the sound of laughing, that’s probably him! I like your dress, by the way, very good choice, if I may say so…” Yes, time to go off into another room, her cheeks now feel like they are on fire! She hastily mumbles something polite, and walks off as fast as she can without looking as if she is making a dash for it. She comes into another tastefully decorated room…and another…and just as she is about to open another door, she can hear a laugh. A deep, manly laugh, full of vitality; full of life and kindness; the sort of laugh that warms your heart, as it does now, she thinks. She just instinctively knows it’s him: Her Viking!

Their eyes meet, his laugh dies away, but his eyes light up even more, and his smile is the best she has ever seen… she walks over to him on shaking legs, regretting the short dress for a short moment. She drinks in his handsome, kind face, gasps a little at his hair, blue as the ocean after a storm. Yes, he’s her Viking, her Magnus, and the colour suits her mood after the emotional storm she has just been through! It also matches her dress, something that they laugh about on many happy occasions. “He’s a dream come through,” Esther sings in her heart, “Thank you Lord, he’s my dream man, he’s my man! At least, he will be shortly, very shortly if it’s anything to do with me!” Feeling his strong arms, feeling his warmth, his manly scent…Esther fleetingly observes that it’s a good thing he’s so good at hugging her, for otherwise she would probably float away, far off into SiMobile’s blue skies…her heart lighter than anything imaginable, her head filed with giddiness, legs only vertical because of Magnus’ embrace. It is his gentleness and kindness that pleases her the most. He makes her feel special, the way he listens to her nervous chatter, the way he smiles at her jokes, and the way he looks after her at the party. She desperately wants to look at her phone, to check the time, to see if it is possible to slip away from the party without appearing rude, just to start their courtship, to meet up at the little café, to begin this amazing new chapter in her life, the one she has been desperate to read, if only it had been there…

End of the Beginning

That was the last story for the seventh and eighth Generations of Mortinas. I’m working hard to get these stories published on Kindle.

I absolutely loved writing these stories, but in order to keep things clearer for myself, I have decided to start a new series, starting with Esther and her Viking, Magnus

I’m calling the first series Llamas and Dramas. I have no idea what the new series will be called, as I don’t know where their lives will go…yet!

Family

The noise is incredible. She chuckles to herself, and shakes her head, whilst folding and packing up her clothes. “Whoever says that retirement is so that older people can have a rest must be joking,” she mutters, “I have never heard so much noise in my life! Good thing that I don’t feel old, otherwise living in this house would probably finish me off! Oh dear, I never realised how many clothes I have… I’m not sure I really want to keep all these. Oh! No, this one is for keeps! My green superhero suit! Mmmm, I wonder if I could lose enough weight to wear it; it would certainly entertain all the other old people once we move out…!”

Victoria is packing her belongings, humming to herself, smiling every now and then when extra loud noises reach her. She loves living in a noisy household, enjoys the young people chatting and singing, and revels in their infectious energy. She wasn’t going to retire until necessary, but when Chris got his final promotion, they decided that there really was no reason to hang on any longer. The only reason they kept going was to earn a few more Simoleans, to save up for the next bit of garden to get cleared. In the end, she and Chris decided that their generation had cleared a piece of the garden, and added a wad of cash towards the next plot. It was the new generation’s turn, they felt.

So, rather unexpectedly, both Chris and Victoria had handed in their papers! She still laughs when thinking about it, her musical laugh sounding as clear as ever. “It feels like I’m on holiday,” she had laughed as she had sat down with Chris for a leisurely cup of coffee. “I sort of regret not having taken the first retirement option now, rather than letting Tabitha and Richard go first…! It’s just so nice, a normal weekday, and here I am, sitting with you, listening to all the Mortina noises!”

They had both smiled, and enjoyed their moment together. Victoria looks at herself in the mirror when she passes it with another armful of clothes. She pulls a face at the old lady staring back at her, and touches her grey hair. “I like it, I think it actually suits me. The purple dress looks good too, I’m really pleased with my choices. Of course, my superhero suit would have been fun as well, but no, I think I prefer the classy look. The photographer will be here in a minute, I better go and put my face on. Skin can look so sallow next to grey hair. Now where is my toiletry bag…” she mumbles to herself, walking out of her room, walking with a determined step as if still walking in the Court room!

The house is very full, it seems. There are the four older Mortinas, and Eva, Esther and Samuel Vince. Eva is desperate to meet Paul, and Esther dreams of Vikings day and night, making everyone in the house feel that they can imagine why people dreaded the Norsemen coming all those years ago… They are secretly starting to dread anything that has a vague connection to Vikings too. Esther is oblivious to their weariness, she just can’t wait to meet Magnus. She keeps looking at postcards that arrived in the white letterbox, checking and double checking. Parties are being arranged, times are chosen, wheels are set in motion…

The noisiest of all is Samuel Vince. His bright orange hair moves through the house like a torch, setting people’s hearts and minds alight. He really has a gift for setting people off. He likes winding up, leaving some people cross, but he is so cheerful and friendly, that he gets away with it all! Victoria tried to have a quiet word with him. Having a quiet word with Samuel however is a contradiction in terms, as she should have known after all these years! She had tried to warn him, explaining that not everyone will appreciate his jokes and his loudness. “Really sweetie, you do need to be careful. People are so easily offended, and especially at trying times like these, what with betrothal parties, and arrangements to be sorted out…”

He had just laughed; laughed and hugged her, lifting her off the ground a little, ignoring her exasperated “Samuel Vince Mortina! What do you think…Oh!” He had kissed her, and giving her a last tight hug, had put her back on the ground. He looked at her, and with his bright green eyes full of mischief assured her everything was fine. “I’m fine, mother, they are fine, everyone and everything is just fine. Did I tell you I got the photography job? Auntie Tabitha recommended me, and guess what? I got the ASOS Photographer one! She was so pleased for me, said she had tried to apply for that one herself! Well, another family member given some justice, I guess!” and he had laughed his loud, boyish laugh, and walked off.

Victoria sighs, thinking about Samuel always leaves her a little uneasy. The boy is so wild, so incorrigible! Goodness knows what he’ll be like as a photographer…She shudders thinking of her carefree son taking care of extremely expensive equipment… “I hope they have all their paraphernalia insured…Tabitha has explained before how much each lens is, and each camera. Oh dear, maybe an office job would have been safer!”

Living together, however big the house is, always brings friction. It starts with Eva, who is still very upset about her delay in meeting Paul. At least she has had a description from Richard, who has actually met the lad, but she is very disappointed. Sadly, she takes her disappointment out on others in the family. Eva is quite grumpy anyway; Madame Stroppy they used to call her when she was in one of her moods. She normally gets over her issues soon enough, but Esther is having a difficult time of it. “I just can do anything right, she is turning our entire lives into a competition! She even complains about stuff that went one when we were younger! She complains about pictures I had put on the internet, well, who cares about that sort of stuff? People do it all the time, and she is my sister, surely she can help me a bit? All the time she keeps coming up with more and more issues, it’s driving me nuts! Mum, please do something about it?”

Tabitha and Richard both tried to talk to Eva, which just made matters worse. Eva went straight to Esther and they had a huge row about tittle tattling, and who’d done it the most. It ended the usual way: Esther in tears, Eva looking bored. It did stop though, and quite suddenly too. Victoria never realised how constant the bickering had been, but one day she realised that the noise she was missing was the noise of catty girls! “How strange,” she mumbles, wandering to the kitchen to make herself a coffee, it’s like the silence in the house is…palpable, I guess! Mmm, have these girls done each other in I wonder…they were really at it last night, I was about to throw a bucket of water over them It works for fighting pets, I’m sure it works just as well for fighting siblings…!”

Then she spots the girls, sitting on the sofa, together. They both are smiling, they both look up as she walks in, they both wish her good morning. Victoria stops, and stares at them, quite deliberately. “What happened to you two? Buried the hatchet? Or run out of nasty fuel, and have to make do with kindness instead?”

The girls look rather sheepish, giggle a little, and then Eva explains how Samuel had confronted them. She rolls her eyes a bit, and explains to Victoria how Samuel had come to them, and told them to sort themselves out. “He said he wanted to be blessed, in whatever form that blessing would come, and that there is a Psalm that says that the place where brethren (or sister for that matter!) dwell together in unity, that is where God commands His blessing, and life for evermore… So he told us to quit the moaning, and get a life, and allow him to have a life too. It was so embarrassing!” Eva still blushes, thinking how Samuel’s words had stung her, and made her feel like crawling under the cheap homestead coffee table, and to stay there in hiding till Paul came to fetch her…!

Victoria chuckles, and feels herself growing a few inches, just thinking about her son coming out with such wise words! “Well, it’s so much better to see smiling sisters, I must admit, and remember, it won’t be long before you go your separate ways, girls, just meeting up now and again, so I would enjoy each other’s company if I were you! Life in Sims Mobile is short as it is, so don’t squander your time away!”

That evening, propped up in bed with a book, Victoria sighs a sigh of contentment, coming from deep inside her. Yes, life is so short here, but there have been so many blessings, so much happiness as well! She drifts away into happy daydreams, floating, remembering, accompanied by the piano music that penetrates the walls of the Granny Annexe. She recognises the music as well as the pianist; Chris, playing his Mum’s favourite hymn; the one she heard in church that Sunday so long ago now. The hymn that she sang so often, even Victoria knows the words, and she finds herself humming along with Chris’ playing, ‘When peace like a river attendeth my soul; when sorrow like sea billows roll…whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul…’ She smiles, thinking about peace, and dramas, and Llama Flu, and treasured babies, squabbling siblings, and hearty laughter; feels herself relaxing more and more, till sleep carries her away to even more dreams. That is how Chris finds her half an hour later, his precious Victoria: fast asleep, a smile curving her sweet lips upwards, an open book ready to slide off the blue bedspread…