Chapter 1.15: Gifts Galore

It's Snowflake day and time for a family get together.

"Hi, mom!"
Varinia hugs her eldest daughter close.

"How are you doing? We've missed you around here."
"I'm a bed pan cleaner now. It's not glamorous by my bosses are already talking about another promotion! I'm finally making a difference."

So many gifts.

Gift giving party spam.

It's a Wugglesworth Schnuggles Bear. It's the first time Amira has ever owned something that is just hers.
"Yay, a bear just for me! I'm going to name him Shadow."

All those pranks mean Selma gets a lump of coal.

Would they notice if I snuck another gift? Amira wonders.

A Mood-Lite Candle!
"I promise I won't set the house on fire," Leila squeals.

Varinia receives a guitar for her budding collection.

"What the heck is this thing?"
F* this noise. Moira is not impressed by the Amphib-clops Plush Doll.

Varinia's new guitar. It'll look so pretty mounted on the wall. Amira decides to sneak a gift before they're all gone. She also gets an Amphib-clops Plush Doll. Bullsh*t!

Dance party. It's a dance party!

"Try this cookie recipe next time."

"I didn't get a chance to dance with you on you wedding night. Can I share a dance with you now?"
Maeve can hardly keep from openly weeping.

Israel got held up at work but he made it and it's time to get down.

"You can't touch this! Hammer TIME."

Maeve appreciates this butterfly and its incredible life span.

"Astounding!"
This gift giving party was awesome, verging on epic. Everyone agrees!

I don't always sit in the snow without a coat on but when I do it's because I'm rocking out this homework.

Amira skips the homework and builds an igloo. A perfect lair if there ever was one.
I wonder if I can drag this home?

Marco Racket has some interesting thoughts.
"I can fit a whole drumstick in my mouth. Then I can really savor it. See my cheek pockets? I'm like chipmunk but better!"

Caleb Racket interrupts the awkward conversation with a birthday.

I wonder if this will cause an explosion?
Amira does explosions like nobody's business.

This thing is so much better than a bike!

"The colors are wrong again, mom. Fix the colors!"
"Ok, sweetie."
Varinia finds she understands Leila less and less these days. It's worrisome.

Sibling snowman building.

"Soooooo, you know some of us are witches, right?"
"Sure kid, whatever."
Amira can't believe Roman is so dense.

Selma enjoys some quiet time to think. She's just really pensive.

"I guess it's ok, but the ducks need shoes."
Every painting gets critiqued.

Chapter 1.14: Blood is Family

Varinia entertains Claude's guests with some Medieval violin music.

Everyday is muffin day.

Another snow day means Claude invites Leila and Selma to the park to watch a Simfest. He also has important news he wants to share.

"Come on over, girls! I need to introduce you to someone."

"Before I met your mom, I was in a relationship with another woman named, Khalilah. It was a brief fling and she broke things off with me. She left town shortly after we broke up. Well, she passed away recently and it turns out that she had my child and never told me about it. Roman here is my son with Khalilah making him your older brother. He's living with me now."

"I thought you were married. You're not married?"

"Love is complicated. In any case, these are two of your younger sisters Selma and Leila."

"You're pretty cool," Leila says. "Do you have powers? I don't but I'm part alien and that's just as good."
"I don't have powers because no one has powers," Roman says sarcastically. "I'm just a half orphan."
Even Leila thinks Roman is slightly nutty.

At home, Varinia wonders how she's going to tell the younger girls about Roman's arrival.

That's a worry for a different time though. Now she's just enjoying time with her daughters.

"That looks lovely, Moira!"
Encouragement is the key.

Let's see what Amira makes of the chemistry set now that Maeve isn't hogging it all the time.

After spending the snow day out with their dad and brother, Leila and Selma get ready for the prom. It snowed enough to cancel school but not enough to cancel prom.

These are some interesting takes on formal attire.

Not that Leila is doing much better.

There will always be birthday cake.

Forever and ever and ever.

"The colors are all wrong. ALL WRONG! Have you ever seen a purple person wearing a turquoise dress. I mean, c'mon! Are you even trying?"

Prom pictures! The girls went stag. With all this secret brother stuff, they didn't  get a chance to ask anyone else. It's good too since both of their crushes were totally rude while they were at prom. Jerks.

Amira makes many more explosions on the chemistry set than Maeve. If only Maeve had left a set of notes to follow or something.

I do not want another muffin.

Moira takes to painting landscapes since Leila won't shut up about the absurdity of purple people.

The time has come. Varinia let's Claude do all the talking. Moira gets distracted.

"Pay attention," Varinia hisses.
What is this school?

"You're blood," Amira says matter-of-factly, "that makes you family."
Moira nods. The adults and Roman agree that this is an indication of acceptance.

"Swish and flick. Swish and flick. It's in the wrist movement."

"I got it," Selma squeals. Oh, the endless prank opportunities!

"I want to make a potion but Amira always hogs the chemistry set."

Varinia is just minding her own business and jammin'.

No one seems to notice this being lurking around the house.

Leila and Selma notice the unusual visitor and hide out in their room.
"The aliens are coming to get us, Selma! We have to run away from here. This isn't what I wanted. Not what I wanted," she mumbles.
Selma can hear the panic in Leila's voice.
"It's ok," Selma soothes. "We will leave. No one is going to get us."