She was sitting on the couch with all their little bodies scrunched around her: Devyn and Eva Jade to her right, Kerrick to her left, Oz and Raven on the ottoman before her. She had already made the decision, but she felt the need to consult the kids and let them know about it and listen to what they had to say. She wasn?t planning on much rejection and objection from a group of four-year-olds.

?Okay guys, what would you think if Skyler came and lived with us??

Their initial reactions didn?t seem so bad.

?He?s gonna come play with us all the time??

?I?m sure he?d love to play with you whenever he can, Eva.?

?Is he gonna have the room next to Moradin??

She smiled at Raven and then at all of them, as they seemed to all be curious about that, ?No?Skyler is going to stay with me, in my room.?

?Like me and Kerrick!? Chirped Devyn, excited she had figured that out.

Jewell hid her grin and just nodded, ?Kind of like that, sweetie.?

?Dad stays in your room.? Oz observed without any of the maliciousness that would have been present if Amanda had made a similar observation.

She sighed a little, ?Darling, you know daddy hasn?t lived here for quite a while now and he?s not going to live here anymore again.?

He seemed mostly appeased by the answer though he raised one other objection, ?He can?t have my seat at the table.? A few ?mine neither?s were thrown out there for good measure.

?I?m sure Skyler won?t fight you for your seat at the table, darling?we?ll figure out something for who sits where, okay?? At the nods, she smiled again, ?Any other objections??

?I don?t like him,? Devyn huffed, unable to think of anything better than that.

?It?s not nice to lie, Devyn. You just asked yesterday when Skyler was coming back to play again. If you didn?t like him, why would you ask that??

Defeated by the superior logic of her mother, she just sank back into the couch as Oz and Raven laughed at her. ?Okay?no other objections?? Looking to Devyn, waiting for her to think up something else. When she didn?t say Jewell nodded, ?All right guys?off with you.? Waving them away, ?Go play!?

When they left, it was Jewell?s turn to sink back into the couch and sigh. She knew they had been the easy ones to speak with, now she just had to wait until Moradin and Amanda arrived. She knew her older daughter would have a whole host of questions and objections?she was too much like her mother not to.

Dinner was light-hearted and lively, more so than usual. Amanda made her mother proud by how she could hold the entire table?s attention with simple stories of school and friends. She would serve well in the political arena if she so wished it; the idea that perhaps Amanda should be sent to Jewell?s older brother even crossed her mind and was quickly dismissed. She had suffered because of that and would not put her daughter in a similar position.

Even Moradin shared a few stories from school, talking about the few close friends he had made. Jewell was ecstatic with this improvement in her little wall-flower, knowing that (if for nothing else) sending the two away to school was worth it if Moradin had learned to open up even a little.

After dinner, they all retired to their own activities. Moradin joined the younger kids in building a set of paper mache monsters?something to serve as enemies for the adventures they continually played out. Jewell took the opportunity to follow her oldest daughter to her room to speak with her, happy that she could approach the two elder children separately. Broaching the topic with both Amanda and Moradin would have been perilous as whatever stance Amanda took Moradin would certainly take as well. Her son would be much more amiable about the whole thing if he did not know how his sister felt.

The younger girl was apparently waiting for her, lying on her bed, and staring at her ceiling of stars. Not one to hinder most creativity her children felt the need to express she had offered little argument to Amanda?s insistence on a totally black room with silver glowing stars (the paint had been more than expensive but well worth it) on every surface as opposed to the deep purples the room had sported before the destruction of their old house. The effect was actually quite breathtaking when the lights were out, one really felt like they were in space. For now, though, the lights were on and the room had a somewhat morbid quality to it. Neither mother nor daughter seemed to mind or notice.

Jewell stepped inside and took a seat on the edge of Amanda?s bed, her feet just touching the ground. ?What did you want to talk about?? Amanda scooted back, sitting up against her pillows so that she could see her mother better.

?Well, honey, I was wondering what you thought about Skyler moving in.?

The clear change from happy-go-lucky to scowling was an amazing thing to watch and Jewell had to try hard not to flinch at the look her daughter was leveling at her, ?No.?

?Excuse me??

?I said, no. I don?t want him living here.? She was practically fuming in a matter of seconds.

?But hun, you guys got along real well when you met?? Jewell was trying to be a voice of reason and not just give in to the ?too bad, he?s going to anyways? argument.

?I changed my mind,? was her short retort.

Was Jewell?s eye twitching? ?That?s a really sudden change of mind. I know it may be a bit surprising but I?m sure if you just think about it for a little while??

?No! I don?t want to think about it. I don?t want that guy living here,? she had grabbed one of her pillows, digging her fingers into it.

?Amanda, you?re being unreasonable.?

?You?re being unreasonable!?

?I don?t see how?? she was cut off again.

?I don?t want him here, that?s it?he shouldn?t live here with us.?

?Well, I?m sorry you feel that way sweetie but he?s going to be living with us anyways,? her tone was becoming a bit more terse as her daughter refused to talk reasonably about this.

?I can?t believe you! You?re?you?re awful!?

She frowned clearly at her daughter, hurt by that statement. ?May I ask why you feel that way??

?You?re just?gonna let that guy, some stranger move in, instead of working out things with dad. Unbelievable.? She hugged the pillow to her chest.

Sometimes, Jewell realized how lucky her mother was for not getting to see her grow up into a totally obnoxious pre-teen. However, because she had not tortured her mother so, how did she deserve this treatment from her own daughter? ?One, Skyler is not a stranger. Two, your father and I are not getting back together.? She sighed as Amanda only frowned at her more, ?Amanda?you knew that already. I was completely honest with you but obviously you need to hear it one more time?your dad and I are not getting back together. He will not be living here and I refuse to stop living my life just because you wish he were.?

?But you?re not even going to try??

It was her turn to cut her daughter off, ?No. I refuse to get into this argument with you, again, just because you need some reason for not wanting Skyler to live here. Your father and I not getting back together is not the issue here, I know you know that.? A look of defiance followed such a statement. ?Fine, if you don?t want to tell me what?s really bothering you about this situation then don?t. Skyler will be living here and you will treat him with the same respect you are expected to show me.?

?You can?t make me.?

Oi. She leaned forward, raising an eyebrow; Amanda was treading dangerous ground, ?Excuse me??

?I said?you.can?t.make.me.? She made sure to enunciate in case her mother was getting hard of hearing in her old age.

?Do not make empty threats to me, young lady. I don?t stand it from others, I will certainly not stand it from you. Do you understand me?? Jewell knew she had won, although not the way she had wanted to, with the sullen look she was given. She sighed, standing. ?We can talk about this more when you get used to the idea.?

?I don?t want to talk about it more.?

?Fine.? Shaking her head, generally frustrated with herself and her daughter, she left her room.