Life Fulfilled

            “Francis. Francis. It’s Francis!”

“I see that you do have the capability to learn names.”

“Francis!”

            Even putting focus towards a new project could not further me from her voice. Mother shrieked inside my head at a near constant rate ever since she made her choice between my children. There had never been a question in who she would select to take my place, yet I had taken time to warn each of the six about the curse. My oldest twins and Frederick thought I was senile. Perhaps Francis did as well, although he looked as if he had taken me seriously. The younger girls thought it was simply a game, and they began to chase each other around, shouting that the witch was coming.

            “Mother, I am trying to concentrate. Will you be quiet?”

“I don’t get why I’m still stuck with you. I’ve said a million times now that I want Francis to be the next heir!”

“And screaming it about is helping nothing.”

            “Where is that stupid witch when I need her?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You can name Francis now, but you will remain with me until I die.” I will give Mother credit—she held back from outwardly wishing my death.

            I returned inside the house for the night. Milton was partaking in his favorite hobby, reading. I recognized that the curse was a terrible thing and yet I had secretly wanted my eldest son to be chosen for it. It isn’t that I wanted him to be plagued by Mother. I knew that he would handle it well, as he seemed to handle any problem. Or maybe it was simply because I did not want him to leave home.

            Earlier that morning, Lois had been working hard to find a house for the two of them. As any young adult, she wished to begin her own life. She would have been unhappy as heir.

            Mother had made her choice and it seemed there was nothing I could do about it. My oldest twins’ graduation was in the morning, so I needed to rest. I found Gloria in my bed when I reached it, and it made me smile. It seemed I never had to sleep alone anymore.

            It was quite odd to experience riding in the back of my cruiser. Aubrey had begged for a front seat, and Milton quickly gave in to her.

            My whole family dressed nicely for the ceremony, a feat in which I took pride. It had taken some time to convince Aubrey that wearing formal clothes to a formal event would not cause harm.

            Both of my children graduated with honors, though neither of them earned the prize of valedictorian. Lois was voted Most Likely to Burn Down her House, an award that, for reasons I could not comprehend, made her cheer.

            Everyone was hungry when we returned home. I watched two of my girls make snow cones for themselves and thought of Mother. She was still shouting about in my head, but it had nearly become background noise.

            I was too tired to cook and much too tired of birthday cake, so, with a sigh of defeat, I joined my girls at the snow cone cart.

            Sharing in the icy treat with my daughter, I was not thinking of Mother, like I had imagined I would every time I ate one. Instead, I was thinking of Kyle, and a bit about Dedrick too. I had not acted as society would like me to, but I really had loved each of them. And they had felt the same towards me. I had been lucky to find those connections in such a cruel world. They had given me my family.

            And, of course, thinking about achieving my dreams of having a large family made me reminisce upon my career. Even having poor appearances, I earned everything from life that I had desired.

            I could only wish the same for Francis, and the rest of my children as well.