The house is a buzz of activity as twin girls, Mary and Elizabeth, arrive weeks before Ciara’s due date.   David has saved up quite a bit of vacation, so he takes the time off to help Ciara care for the newborn girls. Mark, grateful for the distraction, learns quickly how to cook for the family. And after a few burnt meals, his food becomes mostly edible.   Since the fight with Jayson at school, Mark has been avoiding just about everybody. He never really gave Melissa an answer about going steady. His opinion of Melissa changed when he heard her shouting … Continue reading Chapter 3.11 – Clarity

She awakens in a dimly lit room with the steady chirp of a heart monitor somewhere behind her.   After straining to pull together bits of random mental images, she gives up. Her insides hurt and her head throbs. She can feel the grip of heavy bandages around her torso, and the tightness of stitches underneath them. It is then that she realizes she is in a hospital bed …but why?   She assess the damage by flexing various muscles. Her legs and arms seem fine. But her midsection screams when she tenses her abdominal muscles. The pain is searing, … Continue reading Chapter 3.10 – Stud

Jacob’s birthday celebration comes amid a lot of tension between the Barimen siblings.   Having kid sisters who are also good friends with his girlfriend meant that news of yet another fight was sure to get back to them quickly. And just as expected, Claire is there to ask what happened as he comes home after the fight at the beach.   Mark’s breakup with Charlotte was not well received by either Deirdre or Claire. They both have become very good friends with Charlotte, and even helped to comfort her over the phone after Mark’s harsh words at the beach. Deirdre is … Continue reading Chapter 3.9 – Rift

Mark takes his chances and launches himself at Ali with an aggression that startles just about everybody.   Ali is a cruel kid with a wicked personality. But he is no match for his larger, stronger, and more aggressive foe. As the beat-down commences, Ali’s friends have second thoughts about intervening. Mark seems to have come off of his rails, and they do not want any part of it.   Ali emerges from the scuffle with a broken nose and a bloodied face. Mark returns Ali’s earlier gesture by grabbing him by the back of the head and shoving him … Continue reading Chapter 3.8 – Aggression