Betrayed - Babies #17 and 18

"Time to party!" I cheered. There was going to be a big birthday bash for my kids this evening. My only fault, when it comes to dressing, is that I keep choosing maternity able clothing.. No wonder I look terrible!

At 5PM, the first guest had arrived! Yet I didn't really recognize him from anywhere. It seems another guest I did invite must have brought him along.

"Am I at the right place...?" I heard the mystery man mutter. 

"Uh, hello...? Am I at the right house...? Are you... Destiny Rose?"

"Hello!" I greeted him excitedly. "Yes, I am. Now the question is, who are you? I don't exactly remember that I put you on the guest list...yet here you are."

The man laughed nervously. "I was actually invited by my brother. He did say he cleared it up with you, but it seems he lied. He does that a lot."

"Who's your brother...?" I asked. "Elliott Hendricks." He seemed uncomfortable when he said that name.

"Oh... He's that funny man who came to my house at 3:00AM... Yeah, I did invite him. Your his brother?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Name's Yuro Hendricks."

The rest of the guests soon followed after, bringing my conversation with Yuro to an end. I may have to find him again. He seemed like a decent enough guy, apart from being a little awkward. Maybe he could be be the daddy of baby #17?

I invited a whole bunch of people. Ariel (baby #1), my father, Justin, Scarlett (baby #3), Layton Summers (father of baby #6), Elliott Hendricks (father of the K-triplets), Apollo (baby #6), Corbin Fleming (father of baby #13, and my love!),  Avi Sinric (father of baby #12, Abigail) and even others, that I couldn't even remember.

Little Ashton wasn't accustomed to so many people being in his home, in one room. He burst out crying for a few minutes. People weren't very happy with him... Maybe when he ages, he'll be more comfortable!

Ariel had taken a liking to Elliott, and they were really grooving on the dance floor. Luckily I hadn't cared to include alcohol in this party. It may be stupid, but it bothered me a lot that they were dancing so close together. I still didn't feel extremely safe around him, which astounded me. I had triplets with him, yet I didn't feel comfortable with the father?

Aging up five kids at the same time is hard, but we got it all done just before midnight! Abigail went first, and my, she was still a daddy's girl! She definitely had Avi's features. She loves make-up, just like Sapphire, baby #7, did. Abby is a athletic type of girl, spending a lot of time on the treadmill and afternoon's out to go jogging. I think the Rose family can expect a few gold medals from Abigail!

Abby held Ashton as he aged up into child. He looked more and more like his father, which I was incredibly happy about. Ashton is a very talkative boy, unlike his father though. He loves music and dancing, and spending time with his friends sometimes came before his homework. Oops.

Corbin came to me, as I was about to age up little Kathleen, safely tucked in my arms. He didn't say anything, just as I didn't say anything in return. I wasn't ready to confront him about how I felt. I just wished he would move on... But the look in those pale blue eyes told me he hadn't.

Kathleen is a silent little girl, who doesn'tt say much at all. She has beautiful long, soft hair that hangs around her face. Everytime I look at her, I see her father in her features. Yet she looked like me too, with the purple hair and the deep blue eyes.

Kate is a beautiful little girl, inheriting her father's hair color and eyes. She's alert and smart, and loves all her brothers and sisters, yet she didn't know half of them. When comparing photos from my childhood to her looks now, I say she looks a lot like me, maybe even a clone almost!

Speaking of clones, Kalia IS a definite clone of me. She looks the most like Kate, apart from the purple hair and darker eyes. Kathleen and Kalia are the best of friends surprisingly, and they spend a lot of time in front of the xylophone and toy peg box!

After the birthday celebration, a lot of people were quick to leave. Mumbles about going to work early were heard. Gives me the perfect opportunity to follow after Yuro. He had agreed to be the next father, luckily.

"Just to make sure, you don't have any illnesses, or family members that may object to you taking part in the challenge... Maybe even girlfriends? Wifes? Children?"

I was shocked to see that he hesitated before he answered. "N-no," he finally said. "Not at all."

I didn't trust this judgement, yet I was desperate to move on with the challenge.

With one little kiss, the deal was sealed. 

I was definitely happy with myself, and walked all the way home with pride. Though I didn't get a few awkward stares from people who were up late. My reputation may have taken a dive, then.

Coming through the door of my house, I was greeted my a lot of things lying around. Plates, toys, more plates and even more toys. I quickly picked up what was lying around and stashed them away in the kids toy box.

Abby approached me before I could even clean up the kitchen.

"Mom, there's two messages on the phone. One from some guy named Yuro and another from Auntie Carmen. Yuron or whatever seemed a bit apologetic. Aunt C... Well, she screamed in the telephone. Mom, I don't know what that's about, but you may wanna go find out."

"Thanks, honey. I'll check that out just now. In the meantime, you should grab little Kalia and be off to bed, okay? Tomorrow's Monday and you shouldn't let your schoolwork suffer because of the party."

I could hardly keep the nervous tone out of my voice. My sister, Carmen, screaming in the phone? That wasn't like her. She would only scream for a very good reason, and I couldn't find one in my brain at this moment.

Abigail took Kalia, sparing me a last worried look. With a sigh, I saw her depart off into the hallway to put Kalia in her crib and then head off to bed. So I always hope. I was just worried about Carmen's phone call, so I didn't check, which was very unlike me.

I sat in the chair, thinking about what could possibly be wrong. Carmen had freaked, and Yuro had supposedly also called. There had to be a connection there. Little Kate looked at me too, and I smiled at her. She didn't want to go to bed yet. She had screamed just when we put her in her crib. So there she was, on the ground, watching me.

Kathleen too, was still up, though very much near sleep. Being freaked out too much, I helped Kat (shortened version of "Kathleen") with learning to walk and talk.

At 2:10 PM, about the time Abigail came home from school, I went out for a jog in the neighborhood. Only then did I have the courage to check my messages.

Yuro's message: Destiny... I'm so so sorry! I shouldn't have told you! I just couldn't... I'm so sorry, and I hope you and Carmen can forgive me! Please tell Carmen that I'm sorry, and that I hope she can forgive me!" *click*

What was he rambling about, I wondered. The second message I listened was that of my sister... And just as soon as I started listening to it, just as soon did I stop the voicemail. There definitely WAS a whole lot of screaming, sometimes just incoherent mutterings. But one thing was clear; she wanted to meet me, at the Bistro, at 2:30 PM. That's over 20 minutes!      

I jogged back home as fast as I could changed my clothes, then drove to the Bistro in my car.

Carmen wasn't happy with me at all. Immediately, her body language changed and she was hostile. Was I dumb? I couldn't figure out why she was angry with me... Yuro said that he was sorry, and that he hoped Carmen and I could forgive him... Oh no... Please no.

She was quick with her accusations, that was a sure thing. "How can you go around and sleep with my boyfriend, Destiny! How could you!" Carmen yelled at me. This was like my worst nightmare. I didn't know at all that they were going out, and Yuro hadn't mentioned anything.
"Your just a big 'ole slut, that's what you are! You don't even care for your sister, your own family! I can't believe that you could actually be my sister."

Those words cut. It hurt, more than anything or anyone else could. Carmen had always be supportive of me, yet now I know that some of it must have been faked. I was on the verge of tears. But maybe I deserved it. I had messed up her relationship, and I didn't even know I had done it.

"I didn't know, you lying backstabber!" I yelled back at her, unable to contain my own anger, at her and at Yuro. "I asked him if he had someone in his life, and he denied it! Don't blame it on me! Though some of it may have been my fault... But the point is, why would he have lied?! Maybe there are faults in your relationship that's right under your nose!"

I had crossed a line there. It was my fault, any I was denying it. But I was telling the truth. I hadn't known, and I had even asked, just like I ask each father of my challenge.

"Carmen... That was rude of me... I should have-"

"You shouldn't have! That's it! They all say that!" she burst out, pushing me away from her. "I thought I could trust you not to interfere with my love life, for once. Every guy I've dated.. They just wanted to get to know you the moment they saw you!"

"Your the reason everything in my life is messed up! I can't even have a boyfriend without you sniffing him up and wanting to have a kid with him!"

There was a few minutes pause, where we both deliberated over what we had said. I could feel the anger rolling off of her. Yet she wouldn't be able to forgive me now, that I was certain of.

"Carmen.. I... I'm just... I'm sorry... I didn't know. You can stay mad at me forever, but don't exclude me from your life, please..." 

"I won't go that far...," she finally said. "But it hurts...so much. My own boyfriend.. He didn't even tell anyone else about us. He didn't tell you. I thought I loved him... Maybe it isn't meant to be between me and Yuro..."

I was on the verge of tears. I had to go, now.

Without a goodbye, I hopped in my car and drove as fast as possible towards home. Carmen would need some space to breath for a while. She and Yuro need to work out their issues. 

But all those things she had said about me... Was it all true? Was I really the reason everything in her life went south?

Whatever the reason, I spent the rest of my night teaching Kat how to potty.

Kate was wide awake and alert, if not curious. Her eyes were questioning what I was doing. She didn't say anything. She just stared. I may have to tell her, one of these days, that it's impolite to stare. But we all have habits, and that's what makes us...well, us.

Seeing as little Kate was so curious as to what her sister was doing, I decided that she should find out firsthand what it is. Kate quickly learned how to potty, and even more quickly, how to walk.

Kathleen and Kalia weren't going to sleep, anytime soon. They were so absorbed in what they were doing. Kalia was smart. She could easily place the right block in the right space, yet she chose to battle with it. She always asked me, in toddler speech of course, why the circle wouldn't go into the block.

Kat, on the other hand, was interested in music. It helped her sleep at night, and it kept her busy during the day.

Kate was a delight to talk to. I listened to every word she had to say, and it was so calming to hear how she talked. She had the cutest quint in her eyes when she struggled with a word, yet in the end, she would say it right.

Tuesday morning, I went to the only place I could think clearly. Where it was calm. Where there weren't to many people. The graveyard, of course.

"Grim... Why did you let our daughters die?" I asked the statue. "Why did Liana and Keira have to go?"

Liana and Keira were babies #10 and 11. Yet they didn't have the chance to even make it to adulthood. They couldn't live out their dreams, have a family, anything...

So I cried to myself. Cried because of my girls that I would never ever see again. Cried because I messed up my sister's relationship. Cried because I messed up my relations with her. Cried because my life was just one big piece of drama. One could only take so much until you break down in tears.

"But there's always you to look forward to, little baby..," I whispered to my tummy. "No matter how you were conceived, your still my special little bundle of joy."

As I drove to town to go to the grocery store, I saw Dr. Landgraab, and immediately stopped the car. He was of course off duty, but maybe he could do me a favor. He predicted, even while seated, that I would be having a girl!

So I did what I thought was right. I ate apples. Multi-gender twins, or even triplets were always a option, and it'd be a real pleasure. Ashton wouldn't keep complaining that he was the only boy!

At home, Ashton was raring to age up, so we were holding a small part at the back of the house again. But with only us girls to see, of course.

And my, he was a great image of his father! He didn't look entirely like him, yet I could pick out what was identical.

Kate seemed to want to do the same thing her brother was doing. Ashton had muttered "copycat" while he passed by and went inside. Whatever she was, one  thing she definitely was, is gorgeous! Her brown hair and blue eyes really do compliment her face.

She's a very headstrong, confident girl. Kate really could make friends easy, as others loved hearing what she said too, just as I had when she was a toddler.

Before heading to bed, I started out a painting. It felt as if my hand was out of practice, and I would already forget how to paint. But that wasn't a issue. I quickly completed a large canvas. I rubbed my tummy affectionately. "Would you also be able to paint masterpieces, my little one?" I wondered.

No time for wandering, as my water broke right there and then.

"Abigal! HELP!" I yelled, barely huffed,

"Mom, I can't drive well...," Abby had said. "Well I can't drive!" I shot back. All I got was a apologetic look from my teenage girl. "Fine! Just come with me!"
Abby ended up coming along in with me for the birth, holding my hand the entire process, and welcomed to little newborns two the household!

Demi-Dee Rose

Daniel Rose

Thank you for reading! If you have any complaints, criteria, name suggestions, storyline suggestions, or anything like that, I would deeply appreciate it, as I
love feedback!