Chapter 5: Weeds
Time flew by. It was time for Larisa's birthday. Luke took her to blow out her candles. Tara was too overcome. Larisa was her last baby.
All of a sudden she wasn't a baby anymore. She grew up with Luke's pale skin and jet black hair. Tara remembered her mother having hair like that.
Luke wasted no time getting started on potty training. He hated diapers. The soon Larisa was out of them, the better,
While Luke worked with their daughter, Tara gardened. She was feeling depressed. The plants helped some.
Luke came out to check on her. He could tell something was up. Eventually he got what was bothering Tara out of her.
"Larisa is our last baby." Tara told her husband, blinking back tears. "I love both of our children, I just-"
Luke pulled Tara close to him.
"I know, sweetheart. I know."
Tara managed a small smile. Luke understood. They both wanted lots of children, but two would be enough. Two was always better than none.
"Larisa is our last baby." Tara told her husband, blinking back tears. "I love both of our children, I just-"
Luke pulled Tara close to him.
"I know, sweetheart. I know."
Tara managed a small smile. Luke understood. They both wanted lots of children, but two would be enough. Two was always better than none.
Tara started to spend a couple of hours a night as a werewolf, collecting rocks and gems to sell. The family funds were getting to be in a more comfortable place, since both Tara and Luke were becoming more well known in their respective careers. The things Tara found and sold helped contribute. They were saving for the future.
It became clear that while Larisa looked like both of her parents, she was a werewolf like her mother. At first Tara was devastated. She'd been forced to live away from other people because of her nature. Now Tara would too. It had taken Tara a long time to come to terms with who she was. She desperately hoped Larisa would not have the same problems.
When Larisa wasn't having one of her furniture-scratching tantrums she was a very sweet child. Much like her brother, she loved to read toddler books to herself. Unlike her brother, Larisa was actually reading the words! Tara could not believe it. Her daughter taught herself to read. Tara, Luke, and Nikolas were all intelligent enough, but Larisa was clearly something of a genius.
Neither Larisa's intelligence or her being a werewolf phased her older brother. They loved to play peek-a-boo together. Larisa adored her brother.
Generally speaking Larisa was more high maintenance than Nikolas had been. She did also have a schedule though, thanks to Luke's love of order. Larisa slept through the night and woke up at the same time every morning.
Her parents appreciated all the sleep they got. Midnight feedings were one part of babies Tara did not miss.
Tara often entertained herself with books and toys, leaving Luke free to work on his novels.
Tara was beginning to rediscover her love of cooking now that she had more time for it. She wished Luke wouldn't wash his hands three times before every meal.
With the kids growing like weeds, Tara and Luke were able to find more time for each other.
They did not ignore their eldest son, but he was spending more time alone with Larisa being a toddler and his parents working. He liked to go to the waterfall on the weekends to skip stones.
He tried fishing, but he wasn't very good at it.
He preferred painting, though there was also room for improvement there.
When Larisa got bored she had a tendency to scratch the furniture.
Tara had to sit her down and give her a good talking-to about not scratching, and especially not biting.
Luke was struggling. he had to juggle family, deadlines, finances, and his OCD. He never showed how stressed out he was when he helped Larisa with her walking.
Sometimes their sessions had to be cut short so he could finish up a chapter.
He sometimes took naps to relieve stress.
Ultimately his family was the most important thing to Luke. Larisa had always been his little princess.
But at bedtime Larisa had to have a kiss from Mommy, or else there would be no sleep.
As Tara watched Larisa toddle around the house, she knew that soon she would be growing up.