Journal, Day 108

With secrecy, the youngest female pulled the benefactor aside and showed her a ring she had begun wearing. “I’m married, she pronounced.” “You are, to who?” the benefactor inquired. “Her name is mommy, and we have been together 800 years.” This exchange delightfully warmed the benefactor’s heart, even though she inwardly felt like 800 years was far too short to love such a glorious being.
 
The benefactor allowed us to build a fire and commence a wild rumpus in the backyard. Against her better judgement, this included baking marshmallows over the fire with sticks, and making candy cookie sandwiches. Earlier, when at the general store seeking supplies, the younger male almost relinquished this privilege for all the children with incessant badgering for items that could not distinguish as a want from a need. However, he pulled it together in just enough time to not lose the special occasion treat.
 
After the fire, it was a long process for the benefactor to wrangle the children to bed, their veins surging with sugary goodness. First, she read a book to the younger female about a girl dressed as a ladybug and her grasshopper companion. Then, the younger male dragged out his volume of Shakespeare and the benefactor read one Act, which finally seem to push the small people into the entrance for the world of dreams. Thank you to the bard for heavy, circadian language.
 
Except the younger male only pretended to sleep, whilst the benefactor was busy tidying up after them. The older female ratted him out, making the benefactor aware that he was reading in the dark. Aside from a lecture on how he would be driving himself to soon need spectacles, the benefactor made it clear that there was to be no reading past bedtime, even though this felt like a welcome challenge for the benefactor to be handling.
 
The next morning, the benefactor received communication from the elder female that she had left her key to the homestead in the home. The benefactor also learned that the elder male has been missing his key for months now. Explaining to the elder female that her schedule did not allow for her to deliver a spare key, the benefactor was met with a litany of responses that all pretty much ended with the sentiment of ‘you don’t care about us’. Frustrated, the benefactor explained that she cared so much that she needed the elder children to find a solution to their self-created problem. They were given the choice of finding transportation to the benefactor’s employment, or waiting until she finished late in the evening. While the benefactor was teaching, the elder children took initiative to secure transportation and obtained the necessary entry object. They both survived their mild ordeal, and should be the better for it, as the benefactor has no intention of following them throughout their lives with extra keys.