Chapter 1.6: Who's Your Daddy?

Maeve starts to investigate to try to find her father. She knows it's someone her mom used to work with. She looks through the theater's employment records.

At the library she reads some old newspapers trying to narrow down her options.

Finally she turns to the internet.
"He has to be somewhere," she says to herself.

Maeve takes a chance and dials a number she dug up in her search.

"Hello," says the voice on the other line.
"Are you my father," Maeve whispers. She doesn't want her mom to overhear.
"Maeve?"
Maeve slams the phone shut. Hypothesis confirmed.

Maeve approaches DeAndre Wolf at the park.
"I'm sorry I hung up on you."
"I'm surprised you were able to track me down. I doubt your mother gave you my name."
"She didn't," Maeve agrees. "I did a lot of research. I'm really good at research."
"I see."
"If you knew about me, how come you never came to see me?"

"I don't have a good answer for you, honey. I was young and very wrapped up in myself and my job. I was a famous rockstar for a while and that's all I really wanted."

Maeve thinks that's a terrible excuse. She feels worse now than she did before.

"You have a half brother," DeAndre informs her. "He goes to your school."
Maeve wants to ask why DeAndre stuck around for her brother but not for her. She knows better than to ask though.

DeAndre takes Maeve to meet her half-brother, Everett Ball. His mother, Gala Ball, has been DeAndre's fiance since before Maeve was born.

Maeve shares her muffin recipes in case Everett's mother is as bad as hers.

 Leila becomes a toddler.

"Hey, I was using that," Maeve whines. "Why does the baby always get everything?"

Maeve is good to Leila. She feels badly for the toddler because she knows what it feels like to be neglected. She does her best to care for her younger sibling while her mother is too tired and too pregnant to do anything.

Varinia saved up every penny to be able to build an addition to their modest home.

It's a bedroom for her daughters.

Maeve cries when she sees the rickety windows. Every time the wind blows she can hear the air whistling through all the cracks. She wants to be thankful but it's just so sad and pathetic.

Eva Drudge brings her children over for a playdate. Israel is Maeve's best friend and his sister Dusty is an acquaintance. 
She refuses to invite them in. Her toddler sister is covered in green fumes and flies and her mother is so pregnant that she can barely move. It's not a respectable sight.

"Your house is bigger," Israel notes.
"Yeah. My mom built me a room over there."
"Wow, your own room," Israel and Dusty say in unison.

Maeve is tired of entertaining her guests outside.

Claude comes over as Varinia's due date nears. Leila loves playing with her daddy.

Claude sends love vibes to his unborn child.

"Hello in there. Are you ready to come out yet?"

 Claude has never experienced Varinia's labor and he panics when her water breaks. Maeve also panics. She's read up on labor and the fact that there isn't a doctor around makes her nervous. What would happen to her and her siblings if Varinia were to die?

Maeve turns to Claude for reassurance but is met with panic.

She copies his motions like a synchronized panic dance.

Like this?

 All that panic keeps them distracted long enough for Varinia to give birth to Selma.

Maeve reads up on pregnancy and labor. Just in case.

With some furniture moving they manage to fit two cribs in the main room.

Watching Varinia go through labor and give birth to his daughter makes Claude appreciate her so much more. He has to express his love and admiration.

Selma has a friend to keep her company.

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Selma Van Hofwegen
Hydrophobic
Genius