Spare Time Hobbies

            I had no time to spare after my third set of twins aged into toddlers. Yes, my sweet teenagers helped me whenever they could, but they were too young to be teaching tots how to walk and talk. As their mother, it was my responsibility, and I would not allow my children to grow up poorly.

            When I was not pestering them with skill building, my girls often played with their stuffed toys. The strangely patterned humanoids reminded me of the doll I had as a child. Thinking back to Cosmo, an eerie feeling scattered down my spine. He almost seemed like a real person, when I looked through my memories.

            Milton and Francis began stopping by the fire station after school. I did not know why they picked such a location, but I did not question it. They deserved time away from their crying sisters.

            Lois spent her free time upstairs with the television. She enjoyed watching the cooking channel in the early morning hours.

            When daylight came, she applied her new knowledge in making breakfast. She created nice waffles and pancakes several mornings before school.

            Her brothers did not appreciate her effort.

            Lois was not the only teen to sleep curious hours. Frederick found chess to be more exciting late at night.

            When he did sleep, it was often in the rocking chair in which his father spent much time.

            Francis had troubles with maintaining his act of being the good brother. Every now and then he would slip and steal some candy from one of the toddlers.

            Despite this, Aubrey adored him. Once she learned to walk on her own, she followed him all about the house and yard.

            Kyle’s ghost eventually made an appearance.

            I hated Mother for it, but she was correct. The apparition was nothing like my late husband. It would simply watch his daughters cry, not making any attempts to comfort them.

            I tried to avoid looking at it. It did not seem to recognize me, and, although I knew it wasn’t Kyle, it hurt.

            I was quite thankful when it was wisped away in the morning.

            The teens had not noticed that a ghost spent nearly an entire night in Kyle’s rocking chair. They were too in their own worlds; prom had finally arrived.

            All four of my teenagers decided to go to their formal dance. I had skipped mine when I was their age, and I had somewhat hoped that one would follow in suit. The entirety of their time away, I was left wondering what prom was really like.

            Still, it made me chuckle to see my boys all dressed to the nine’s.

            The oldest twins were in foul moods when they returned. Both of them stormed up to bed, leaving me to gain details from my middle twins. Francis bragged that he won prom king, while Frederick attempted to outdo him with the story of how a girl agreed to dance with him. I laughed, realizing that I simply did not care, and left the boys to their snow cones.