Hi Mum it's Sammy (clone 59 - part 14)

Hang on, must be something in my eye. Because I wouldn't be depressed about getting old. A teenager in the house and one of my little girls about to be one.

Nope, not depressed at all. Just a bit of soot got in my eyes.

Why do my kids end up doing homework just about anywhere? Donna could be sitting comfortably inside, with good lights and yet she came out here to do her work.

"So, Donna, what's the homework assignment?"

"Politics, Daddy. We are supposed to explain how elections work."

"That seems pretty straight forward. Any questions?"

"How often are elections held?"

"The city holds elections once in three years. The state holds them once every four years. But there are a few things that it's once in two years."

"Daddy, that doesn't make sense."

"True, but we don't get to vote on how often to vote. It was decided some time ago by people who thought they knew how everything should work."

Charlie finally managed to create a potion and not have anything explode.

Actually, all three kids have managed to create potions. It's just that no one is willing to test them. It's good to see young minds applying themselves. Learning to make a potion improves their logic skills. However, drink some potion from random chemicals my kids put together? I'm not that brave or that stupid.

Sunny has been having a hard time since that last birthday. She looks in the mirror, and goes into a deep funk.

"Hey, Alec?"

"This is Amelia. I quit."

"Yep, seriously. See you around."

I wonder if I heard that right. She quit her career in music? But she loves music.

"Sunny, are you all right? Did you really quit your job?"

"I did quit, Sam. I need change. I have been feeling so restless lately."

"Ok dear. If that's what you want." Maybe someday, someone will write a book that explains the moods of women and what to do when that mood hits. It will be a runaway best seller.

"I'm going out for a while, Sam. Think about what I want to do."

I wonder what conclusions she'll come to.

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It wasn't long before the gossip mill spread the latest about where Sunny had gone.

"Hey there, handsome, what you got cooking?"

"Just seeing you, beautiful, makes me hot all over."

"Do you really think I'm beautiful, or is that what you tell every woman?"

"Tell you what, Amelia. I'll take you to lunch and tell you all the ways in which you are beautiful."

"Really?"

"Possibly not. It may take more then just one lunch."

"Thomas, you are such a charmer."

"Dear lovely lady, charm is my middle name."

Sunny then went off to get a job in city hall. Politics? Since when did she give a damn about politics?

I don't think I was the only one who heard whispers about Thomas and Sunny. Because it wasn't long after this that Marta announced she and Thomas were expecting another baby. Given how fond the Tomasi family are of babies, that should keep Thomas at home quite a lot more.

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As for me, it was another average day at work. A large house fire had trapped someone.

So I had to dowse enough of the flames to make it safe.

Then break down the door.

The moment I kicked open the door, the frightened occupant fled for open air. So it was just a question of me putting out the rest of the flames. It took hours to quell the rest of the fire, the flames had widely spread.

Unfortunately, this meant I missed a big event at home.

Our middle child was having an important birthday that evening.

Donna has become a teenager. My god, we have two teens in one house?

I didn't even make it home in time for the cake. The rest of the family and a few friends did celebrate the birthday party properly.

By the time I finally got home, all was quiet and everyone in bed. What good is being the fire chief if you miss out on family events because of work?

"Is that another wrinkle? And another grey hair? Crow's feet, I definitely have crow's feet." Sunny spent ages examining herself in front of the mirror. "I'm ancient. I'm ugly. My life is falling apart." I'm afraid that my Sunny is behind some serious storm clouds.

"Sunny?"

"Yes Sam?"

"You are still a gorgeous woman. Truly." Nope, no answer. Does she believe me?

Donna had some teens over for a sleep over. It mostly the kids that Charlie has gotten to know but now Donna will have a head start on making friends in high school.

Poor Tulip. She has a small horde of paparazzi follow her everywhere these days. She came to Donna's sleep over and had three followers.

It was a warm and cloud-free night so the teens crashed outside this time. I'm glad all the kids bring good pjs and their own sleeping bags. They actually aren't too much trouble. Which stuns me any time I think about 6 teens sleeping in one small area.

 Very early the next day, Charlie headed for school. School on the weekend? I'm sure that this is not a good thing.

The way Charlie was snickering later, I suspect that it was seriously not good. I wonder if my son had anything to do with the thousands of frogs hopping through school on Monday?

A lovely spring morning. See the teens sprouting up from the lawn, their delicate little arms stretching slowly toward the sun. See them decide it's time to go home and rapidly leave our lawn.

Thank god, my kids only have their friends over occasionally. Eventually, this many teens would surely add up to trouble.

Just one can cause quite enough mischief. Charlie, not willing to rest on his pranking laurels, decided to annoy a random household with a doorbell prank.

Better have another talk with the boy. If the cops haul him home, he's grounded until he's 30.

"Juan, how is my favourite ultra sexy musician?"

"All the better for seeing you, lovely lady. Why on earth did you leave the theatre? It's just not the same without you?"

"Well, I've been needing change. I thought a new career might be it. I'm beginning to wonder though."

Charlie followed up his pranks with a visit to the local bar. What will I do with that boy?

Donna is now fascinated by the chemistry set. She says she's researching how to make her best friend real.

I feel like everything is is spinning out of control. Sunny is in politics and flirting around. Charlie is pulling pranks often and trying to order drinks at the local dive. It's only a matter of time before he comes the attention of the police. Donna is worse then ever about that invisible playmate of hers.

How do you handle so much? Ignore it? Lay down the law? Run away and pretend complete ignorance? Scratch the last, I don't run from anything.


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Bonus pics

Not Donna's best look. 

Donna's IF as a teen. I just don't quite know what we are going to do with them.

Mobile motial or whatever. While it is an amazingly ugly vehicle to me, the effect of maxing all motives of the occupants is pretty stunning. Sam taught Donna to drive in a single session with this puppy. Don't let anyone drive it at night, they won't need to sleep.

Ruby Pesce - Travis Kane and Sophie Pesce's girl.

Charlie's IF grew out of doll only phase. I didn't think that would happen, he's been a teen for a week. But I got the message that his doll wanted to look around and then she became a full IF after some hours.