#my sister loves them so often times our parents would buy them in bulk

[nerdy-hyperfixations]

I believe the other theory that Martin stocks up on food because his mother would withheld food, ‘cuz like, yeah probably (idk if anyone knows what I’m talking about since I’m referencing a post made a year ago)  but! I’d also like to offer the reason Martin had so many canned peaches was because they were a comfort/dopamine food and he got sick of craving it and not having any so he decided he was going to go to the store and get a SHIT ton of canned peaches so he’ll never run out, and then he was stuck eating canned peaches until he despises them and they will never be a comfort food again

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #202

Last time you went on a rollercoaster: Never. At least, not a legit one, because I'm terrified of those. I've been on like, one kiddie one, but even that was as a kid.

Whose birthday is next, out of all the people you know? My younger sister's.

Would you eat a live cockroach if it made you a millionaire? A millionaire? Yes. I'd probably puke in the process but you'd bet your fuckin' ass I'm trying, being poor sucks.

Who do you think about most? Besides myself and what I have going on, Girt.

Do you have embarrassing parents? My dad can be.

Are you any good at writing? I think writing is probably my strongest talent. I don't feel as good as I once was, but I can at least acknowledge I'm above average at it.

What’s something that really matters to you? My mental health.

Do you prefer bar or liquid soap? Liquid, I hate bar soap.

Do you have high or low self esteem levels? Very low.

Do you like mint or orange flavored chocolate? I love mint chocolate! I've never tried orange.

How often do you get spots? Like, pimples? I will almost always get at least one blemish during my time of the month. Otherwise, they're very rare in my adulthood.

Do you prefer instrumental songs or ones with lyrics? Ones with lyrics, usually. But I'm perfectly capable of enjoying instrumental, too.

Do you carry a bag around with you often? What does it look like? Yes, it's a small white purse shaped like a ghost, with two black ovals for its eyes. It's a biiiit smaller than I'd prefer, but I mean, it came from Temu for a very low price, I'll take what it gave me.

Name one of your favorite memories. Early morning fishing trips with my dad as a kid, especially if he was taking us out on his little blue boat.

Have you ever had braces? Do you need them? I did as a pre-teen/teenager.

Are you a subscriber to any magazines? Which? No.

What is something you want but can’t afford to buy? I'd LIKE a 4x2x2x PVC tank for Venus. That would be her final, "perfect" enclosure.

Do you usually eat wheat bread or white bread, or are you gluten-free? Wheat.

Which lost friend do you most wish you could be friends with again? Megan. She lied about the bulk of her life for pity, but... our friendship was very important to me. I don't feel like she did it maliciously, she just... wanted someone to feel sorry for her and took advantage of being an online friend to do so, I could never truly see that she was lying.

Do you think you would be happier if you had more money? YES??????????? I know I would be, not just "think." No, money would never solve all of my problems, but be poor and THEN come back to me with "mOnEy DoEsN't BuY hApPInEsS!!!!!"

What is something currently on your wishlist from Etsy? lmao there's this shirt featuring cute-ass lil kittens with a pentagram in the middle and the text is "tax churches, hail satan" in like the Iron Maiden font and I am DYING for it

Is there a Target near you? Yeah, maybe like, 7-ish minutes away.

Which is closest to you: Target, Walmart, Kmart, or Meijer? Walmart.

Who do you go to when you’re lonely? Or what do you do when you’re lonely? My mom or Girt.

What do you dislike about the house you live in? It's in a cookie cutter neighborhood with absolutely zero charm or interest and I just hate it.

Have you ever been clubbing? Did you have fun? No. I can't imagine myself having fun.

Have you ever volunteered? Yes.

What holidays do you celebrate? Valentine's with my partner, I'm very serious about this year beginning a tradition of doing something for Earth Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. On New Year's Eve Mom and I will normally have a drink, but that's the extent of it. For the 4th of July, last year we did hot dogs on the grill and s'mores, and I'd like to do that again, even though I don't really give a shit about Independence Day.

Do you have a best friend? How long have you known them? Yeah, my boyfriend. I've known him since my freshman year of high school, so like... since I was 15-ish.

How often do you take selfies? Very rarely.

What was your favorite way to spend a summer day as a kid? Swimming.

Do you have any uncommon interests or hobbies? Forum animal roleplay.

Have you ever drank so much that you passed out? No. I don't enjoy alcohol enough for that.

What is your favorite way to eat rice? (white, steamed, fried, brown, sweetened…) Fried.

What’s your favorite horror movie? The OG The Blair Witch Project.

Have you ever had to have a tooth cut out? My only two wisdom teeth that came in, yes.

What video games did you play when you were growing up? The OG Spyro trilogy, Crash Bandicoot, lots of games based on kid movies and TV shows, hunting games (I know), etc.

What pet names do you use for your friends/loved ones? "Hun," "love," "darlin," "sweetie," stuff like that.

What’s your favourite Disney movie? The Lion King.

Do you prefer regular or diet soft drinks? Diet sodas are a fucking travesty, I just can't

Have you ever met someone in person who you first met on the internet? Do you have plans to do that anytime soon? Yes. Tez and Mazzy are both 100% invited to my wedding, so hopefully one day I'll meet them both. I'd love to meet Shaz too, it'd be dope as hell if we both visited the KMP at the same time and met. There are other online buds that'd be cool to meet, but those are the three where I'm like, I REALLY would like to meet them.

Are you a fan of garlic bread? Bitch I am more than a FAN, I'd trade you my soul for some fuckin garlic bread lmao

Have you ever wanted to be vegetarian or vegan? Yeah; ideally I'd love to be vegan, and I had a vegetarian streak, but my extreme pickiness that I just can't shake makes surviving without meat (nevermind adding other animal products to that!) impossible for me. I'd be so malnourished.

What is your boss’s (or school principal’s) name? N/A

Do you like eggnog? No.

Do you know anyone with celiac disease? Yes, my aunt and her daughter both have it.

Are you and your best friend complete opposites? No, we're very similar.

If you were to write a novel, what would it be about? I'd probably pick a major RP plot to base it around.

Are you currently pretending to be someone’s friend? Dude I'm an adult, I'm not wasting time or energy on that bullshit. Even if I WASN'T an adult, I wouldn't.

Have you ever had a serious issue involving your eyes? Besides having very poor eyesight without my glasses, no. I have astigmatism, but I wouldn't call that a serious issue, it's very common.

Do you have sensitive teeth? Not so much anymore, I only did at the worst of my teeth neglect.

What are your views on our current president? I voted for the guy and I hate him lmao. I'd rather have him in office than Trump though, hence why he got my vote.

What is your biggest responsibility in your household? Clean the litterbox, feed Roman, feed and water Venus/maintain her terrarium.

Who did you last worry about and why? My boyfriend, because it took him longer to get to my house from his work than it normally does, and it was very windy outside. I wasn't like, SUPER worried, but the concern was still there. Turns out he stopped at a gas station.

When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I genuinely can't do this. I'll just use the excuse of not being hungry, because my face WILL say if I don't like something, and my gag reflex is immediate. If I try swallowing something I don't like, I'll involuntarily shudder, like it's super obvious.

Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) Yes, I hate trackpads.

What was your high school mascot? A firebird.

What was your first job? Sales associate at GameStop.

Do you remember your first time? No because I haven't had it. I was abstinent through my first serious relationship and my boyfriend now has crippling performance anxiety + we live with our moms so conditions just haven't worked out.

Favourite home-cooked meal growing up? Spaghetti.

What is something you don’t have any natural talent for? Mathematics.

How do you feel about your body? I despise it. It humiliates me.

What are three things you like that are blue? Birds, the sky, sometimes water.

What is one sad song that you enjoy listening to? One of the saddest songs (imo) that I enjoy a whole lot is "Terrible Things" by Mayday Parade.

Do you like butterflies? Butterflies look like they should be mythical creatures, I adore butterflies.

Do you prefer to read fiction or non-fiction? I greatly prefer fiction. I read books to escape.

If you have a significant other, what is his/her name? It's actually Donald Jr., but I've always known him as Girt.

Have you ever had to use a wheelchair? Only for very short instances. When I had my asthma attack, I had to be wheeled inside because of how low my oxygen was; my body wasn't properly oxygenated at all and it was making walking almost impossible, it was the strangest feeling. I also recall when I did some terrible shit to my ankle, I was wheeled into I think urgent care.

Have you ever been pulled over by a cop? In my very brief period of driving, no.

What are three things you would change about your body if you could? I wish I was slim, had much lighter/less body hair, and clearer/less dry skin.

Who was the last person who gave you a hug? My boyfriend.

Have you ever questioned your gender? No. I'm very unattached to the concept and identity implications of gender so I'm just content with the sex I was born as.

What is your favorite thing to do in the snow? Wander around and take photos!

Have you ever swam in the ocean? Yes, I LOVE swimming in the ocean, for real.

What were three of your favorite things to do at recess as a kid? Dig tunnels in the sandbox, the swing, and playing Four Square on the basketball court.

What is one thing you’ve gotten for free on your birthday? Desserts at restaurants.

Have you ever been to Tennessee, USA? Yes, my brother lives there.

What are some things that fascinate you? Animal behavior, caves, outer space, stuff like cryptids and conspiracy theories, etc.

What did you last remember dreaming about? I actually had a tornado nightmare last night.

What did you last watch on TV? Cunk on Earth with Girt.

What is one of your toxic traits? I can take things very personally.

Have you ever found a skeleton while outside? I've found animal remains, yeah, not like, a human skeleton lmao

[purplesurveys]

1034

survey by tater-tots What is a fruit that you might eat in the morning? Hahahaha. That’s a pass for me; I can’t imagine regularly eating fruit at any set time of the day.

Do you enjoy any food combinations that others might consider to be weird? I like to eat fish with mayonnaise, which was always normal in our household but I realized was weird when I first saw the horrified expressions on my friends’ faces when they saw me use the combination. I like mayonnaise with a lot of other foods as well, which a lot of people generally find weird.

What is a green vegetable that you enjoy eating? Broccoli and asparagus.

Name something you might find in a salad. In my salad, you’ll always find tuna sashimi in it heh.

What is your favorite type of sandwich? Anything that’s like an Eggs Benedict or Monte Cristo. 

Which condiment do you use the most often? Mayo, for sure. Banana ketchup too. I also like sriracha sauce but my dad hasn’t been buying a new bottle of it for a while. 

Name a chocolate bar that you enjoy eating. It’s called Whittaker’s - just not sure what country it hails from; maybe Australia? - and I like their peanut butter variant. Google also told me it’s a New Zealander brand.

What is a meat that you do not eat - ever. Dog or cat.

Are you lactose intolerant, or have any other sort of food allergies? I’m mildly lactose intolerant but I ignore it because a lot of my favorite foods use dairy. Other than that, no food allergies.

What was the last food that you burnt your mouth on? Just plain rice, haha. I had been extremely hungry and I just wanted to dig in; but I ended up spitting it back out.

Which brand of soup do you eat? I don’t regularly have soup, much less buy canned brands of it. 

What are some flavors of ice cream that your enjoy? Cookies and cream, mint chocolate, coffee, chocolate chip cookie dough, queso real.

What is the best type of cookie, in your opinion? I like keeping things classic when it comes to cookies, and I’ve always been perfectly happy with chocolate chip cookies :)

Would you rather have popcorn, pretzels, or chips as your salty snack? Chips. I dislike the other two as I only like the softer, doughy version of pretzels.

Have you thought about going on a diet & actually went through with it? No.

--

survey by pinkchocolate

When you woke up today, was there anything on your mind? Kinda. I felt sad and I was aware of it instantly, compared to most days where the sadness will take a while to build.

Who was the last person you interacted with for the first time? Literally speaking, maybe the barista at Starbucks who took my temperature at the entrance before I was let in the store. I interacted with her yesterday.

What colour was the wrapper of the last snack you ate? White. It’s more of a tiny bag than a wrapper, though.

Do you have a favourite mug to drink from? What does it look like? Yeah, I’ve since claimed my mom’s mug for myself. It’s a copper mug with the Starbucks label on it. It looks super minimalist which I appreciate.

What was the last thing you used, that came in a spray can? It was a Lysol spray.

What colour is your favourite bra? Don’t really have one.

Who was the last person you went to for advice about something? I think it was Andi. I’ve been going to them a lot for help, advice, extra sanity, etc. lately. If it hasn’t been for them I probably would’ve left a few months back.

Have you had a deep conversation with anyone lately? Yes. I finally met up with Gab yesterday to discuss a lot things, iron some stuff out, figure out where to go from here.

What was the last compliment you recall receiving from someone? I’m not sure, I haven’t been receiving any.

And the last compliment you gave to someone else? It was most likely a compliment for Andi on how helpful they’ve been to me.

What kind of bread did you eat most recently? Flatbread.

What was the last sound you heard, that you found pleasant? We were watching a mass livestream earlier and I was delighted when they played the closing song.

How many books do you think there are in your house? Take a rough guess. I would guess around 60, the overwhelming bulk of them mine.

Of all the books you own, which do you think has the most pages in it? It would definitely either be Gone with the Wind or Les Miserables, but I’m not sure which one is thicker.

^ And how many pages is that? I checked both of my copies and they’re soooo close – GWTW has 1,440 pages while Les Mis has 1,463.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema? What did you think of it? Knives Out. I went to the mall yesterday and the cinemas were still closed, so it’s not like I’d be able to watch new movies at theatres anyway. Anyway, I’ve been vocal about the movie enough times on my surveys but I didn’t enjoy it. Whodunnits were never my cup of tea, but Gab had wanted to see it and I didn’t want to make her watch the film alone.

In the last book you read, what was the main character's name? Haven’t been reading.

What was the last song you heard, that meant something to you? Lose by Niki.

How many people do you know whose name begins with Z? I can only recall one such person at the moment; it’s one of my mom’s aunts who also doubled as a principal sponsor for my mom and dad’s wedding.

What do you expect to be doing at this time tomorrow? Maybe doing my embroidery (my package finally arrived!!) or surveys or watching Start-Up, because tomorrow will be a holiday :)

--

survey by luckforlemmy

Did you start listening to more Michael Jackson after his death? I can remember that there was definitely a brief period after his death that I caught up with his discography and listened to MJ nearly everyday; I read up on him and his life as well. 11 year old me figured he must’ve been an interesting figure because of the big reception around his death, so I wanted to know the reasons behind it.

When was the last time that you played hide and seek? I can vividly remember the day when Nina and I played hide and seek when the house was newly-built and still devoid of furniture, back in maybe ‘07 or ‘08. I’m fairly certain that was the last time I played hide and seek.

Who was your first celebrity crush, if you can remember? It was a tie between Ashley Tisdale and Zac Efron, though the older I get the more I’ve been convinced that I ‘crushed’ on Zac only because I was surrounded by girls who went crazy over him in school. I’m pretty sure my first real celebrity crush was Ashley, hahaha.

Do you worry about money? Yeah, especially now. I can’t even enjoy my first paycheck because most of it’s gonna go to Christmas presents, but oh well; at least I can finally buy gifts for my loved ones who’ve always gotten me presents.

Have you ever had to beg for a second chance? Kind of, when I was trying to convince Gab to let our relationship have another shot four years ago. Beg is a strong word for what I actually did, though. It was more of me pitching the idea, not begging.

When was the last time that you sent an actual letter through the mail? I don’t think I even ever did that, not even when I was younger and snail mail was still kind of a thing.

Are you excited to return to school? There’s nothing to return to anymore. Unless I decided to take up a post-grad course in the future, I’m done with school.

Do you hate Internet abbreviations? It can just feel a bit jarring when they’re used excessively in a single sentence, but I honestly don’t mind it for the most part. It’s understandable especially now that most, if not all, of my interactions whether personal or for work happen online.

What was the last insult you gave out? I was never really the roasting type of person, not even towards my friends.

What'd you last look up on YouTube? Hahaha I looked up ‘skynwallz.’ I was looking for the episode of Rhett and Link’s vlogs where they painted the rooms of their offices in the color of their entire person – hair, eyes, and skin. They were joking about starting a new business for it called Skynwallz, so that’s what I looked up.

Are you texting someone really awesome right now? No, I prefer to be alone today.

Do you know when to be serious and when you shouldn't be? Er sure, it’s not that hard.

Do you think that you're funny? I like my sense of humor, yeah, but I know it’s not always going to translate to everybody’s tastes. For example, I’m still figuring out the dynamic in the team I was put in at work, so I can’t make the same jokes that I would normally say with my co-interns with whom I have a more comfortable relationship.

Have you ever sent a secret to Post Secret? I don’t know what this is, so no.

What movie do you really want to see in theatres right now? They aren’t showing anything at the moment. A movie I want to see badly, though, is Ammonite.

Have either of your parents shown affection for you today? My mom made breakfast for us, if it counts. She also gives each of her kids a kiss during the peace-giving portion at mass, so there’s that as well.

What's the last thing that you sang out loud? I watched Start Up before this survey and was humming to the song that was being played at the end of the episode. I couldn’t sing along to it because it was in Korean, but I knew the melody so I hummed.

Is there a word that you always misspell? Rhythm is one of my worst enemies for sure. I also have a love-hate relationship with accommodate.

What was the last thing that you bought that someone else benefited from? I met up with Gabie yesterday and bought her her favorite meal from Yabu to break the ice – menchi katsu with brown rice. I originally got mozzarella sticks for myself but when we got to talking, she mentioned her sisters at one point; I remembered how much I miss them, so I gave up my food and told her to just give my food to her sisters since I hadn’t touched it yet anyway.

Has someone ever made you a really great mix CD? Andi gave me one before she made the flight to New Zealand 10 years ago to permanently live there. I believe I still have it, but I’m just not sure where it currently is.

Have you ever been on Omegle.com? Yes, when I was a teenager and it was new.

Did you talk to someone cool there? Not really; most seem to exit our chat after we did the whole asl thing. I also avoided the webcam option because my anxiety for video calls has always been present.

What song reminds you of your best friend? Any song by The Maine.

Who was the last person to hit on you? Some creep on Facebook.

What's on the paper nearest you? It’s the guide for my embroidery kit. It tells me what stitches to do and the colors of thread to use for the different parts of the template I was provided with.

Do you have a set of lyrics that you really love? From Paramore’s Pool: “As if the first cut wasn’t deep enough, I dove in again ‘cause I’m not into giving up Could’ve gotten the same rush from any lover’s touch, But why get used to something new When no one breaks my heart like you” I scream those lyrics every time they come on. I know I often showed the good, shiny side of my relationship on these surveys; but it was very much toxic at a lot of points and those lyrics - and that song - served as a nest for me, something that told me someone understands how I sometimes felt about my own relationship.

Did you get an A in your last English class? I got a 1.25 instead of a perfect 1.00, but I think that’s still equivalent to an A so yes.

What did you last use scissors for? Cutting thread.

Did you ever secretly hate a friend of yours that thought you liked them? That makes me sound shitty lol, but yeah I’ve acted nicely to people I don’t particularly like.

What do you think of when I say "boat"? That episode of Friends where Joey bought himself a boat at an auction; and Canadian accents.

Would you ever get a tattoo sleeve? Nope. I planned on getting one as a teenager, but I grew out of that phase.

Do you know any really fake people? Yep. I think everyone’s got to be at some point.

What does the last blanket you used look like? It’s pink and has multi-colored polka dots on it.

Do you have appreciation for graffiti? Sure, especially if it’s for political purposes (that I agree with).

Why don't you drive? I do. I just have done it a lot less because I have had little need for driving and traveling to places throughout the pandemic.

Does it annoy you when your printer runs out of ink? I think we have the kind of printer that never runs out of ink, but I’m not exactly sure about the terminologies or how the technology works. I let my sister do the printing hahaha.

Have you ever drank anything from a thermos? Yes, mostly water and coffee.

When was the last time you played in the snow? Never.

Do you know any ignorant people? Sure, mostly Gen X-ers and Boomers.

What is the coolest name you've ever heard? Thylane.

What did you last argue with someone about? Relationship stuff. It wasn’t a full-blown argument, but when Gab and I talked yesterday it was natural for us to disagree on a few points.

Is there anyone that you dislike for no real reason? Hmm, I don’t think so. If I feel that strongly about someone, I usually have a reason otherwise it wouldn’t be fair to them.

Have you had a good day? It was okay; it was nice. I got to do my embroidery hoop art thing, got to watch a couple episodes of Start Up, played with Cooper, and now I’m doing these surveys and am planning to continue my embroidery later. It’s nice to feel productive about non-work things :)

Are you going to have a good night? I hope.

[st-kristopher]

I. 000 - Destiny Islands - Prologue

Although every day felt like summer here on the island, it was inevitable that this day would come. She's long prepared for it, but the magnitude of pain she'd experience wouldn't change regardless.

"Better hurry up or I'll leave you behind!" her lips were a natural rose, skin the color of bronzed mahogany.

Three kids trailed behind their mother, the first was a boy of about seven or eight years old, a mop of raven black hair made the bulk of his head.

"Loma!" he complained to the girl behind him, same age, however engrossed in a GameBoy console.

"Yeah, yeah." she responded quickly, eyes lit by the intensity of the button mashing.

"Sadia, ¿estás bien allí? (are you okay back there?)" called their mother from the font of the line. A little one, wearing a bright yellow sundress and matching hat walked forward happily, one hand grasped on the hanging strap of her sister's overalls.

"Yes Mama!" she chirped.

"Mijo (son), get your sister out of the clouds." Their mother was dressed casually, in a flowing red blouse tucked into her blue denim shorts. Her majestic black hair rolled in waves below her wide brimmed straw hat, decorated with a bright cluster of marigolds.

The boy turned around and frowned; "Hey!"

No reply. Only an aggressive 'oof'.

"Heyyyyyyy!" without hesitation he snatched the GameBoy right from Loma's hands. "It's family time!" he yelled.

"Abel!!!!!" Loma screamed and charged, but Abel made a beeline for his mother. Sadia yelped as she frighteningly let go of her sister, who embarked in a murderous game of 'catch me if you can' with her brother. It didn't take long for Sadia to start crying.

The matriarch, who was pulling a wagon full of beach essentials sighed, coming to a halt before the sandbar.

As Abel and Loma chased each other on the beach, their mother scooped up Sadia, offering a compassionate smile.

"Don't let anyone ever leave you behind, you hear mi reinita (my little queen)." she cooed. Sadia giggled. She loved when her mother called her that.

★☆★☆★☆★☆

Laying on a colorful and large tribal printed towel underneath a beach umbrella, a mother watched her children as they screamed and splashed in the water. Other local kids who came to the beach that day quickly joined in on the commotion.

A woman with brown hair walked up to the blanket; "Ama!" she waved.

Ama lowered her black cat-eyed sunglasses; "Hey girl! Take a seat!"

Ama patted the spot next to her, to which the woman happily joined.

"Interested in a drink?" Ama opened the cooler and offered her a glass bottle labeled 'Crystal Soda'.

"Oh you know that's one of my favorites!" she giggled.

"Where's that little runt Sora?" Ama questioned, the woman laughed and motioned over to the water.

"Right over there with Riku, they've been introducing the new girl to everyone."

Ama took another bottle of Crystal Soda out of the cooler, popping the cap off with ease. "New girl you say?"

"Oh Ama, you know. She came here during the meteor shower, the mayor adopted her."

"Point her out to me." Ama took out two straws, handing one over to the brown haired woman. She stuck the white plastic tube into the bottle.

"You can't miss her, she's the one with burgundy hair. It's quite vibrant."

Ama peered at the group of kids playing in the waves. Sora was introducing her to Abel, Loma, and Sadia, quite loudly too. That kids so obnoxious. she thought.

The six of them were all smiles, especially when the new girl decided to push Sora right into an incoming wave. They all laughed. Innocent, untainted laughter.

"Mmm, what's her name?"

"Kairi. Pretty isn't it? Sora adores her already. She's all he talks about at home!"

"Sounds like your boy's got his first crush!" gushed Ama with a sharp chuckle.

"They're just kids, and actually, I don't think this is the first time he's been so enamoured with someone either. I have a hunch." The brown haired woman's blue eyes flicked over to Riku for a moment.

"So where did she come from anyway?" Ama took an audible sip from her soda bottle.

"No one knows. Although there are rumors she comes from....elsewhere." The woman looked longingly towards the sea.

"There has to be something more across these waters. That's what Sora believes at least." she continued with a tired sigh.

"Yet another topic he never seems to stop talking about."

Ama's eyes sharpened underneath her sunglasses. "Don't be ridiculous. Your making it sound like she's some kind of alien."

"The islands are all I've ever known. But I don't have a problem with that, I'm happy here." The brown haired woman smiled; Ama sympathized.

"As long as we have our kids, it doesn't matter where we are." she stated.

The brown haired woman' nodded; "Of course, although I know it's been difficult...without a father figure in their lives..."

Ama didn't flinch at the notion of single motherhood, at this point she deemed herself a parental master, but she wasn't about to make that spiky headed runt's mother feel bad.

"Death is a cycle of life. The reaper comes for some sooner than others, however..."

Ama pursed her lips compassionately at the brown haired woman, this next thought was always a comfort to her.

"If we always remember our loved ones from the past....they'll never die."

★☆★☆★☆★☆

As the evening winded down, Ama and the rest of her brood made it back home before the twilight darkened into night. She was a bit tired from the hooting and hollering of her kids, but she was glad they had a good time.

They lived in a small suburban cottage on a grassy knoll, two bedrooms and one bathroom. The twins slept in one room, and Sadia slept with her mother.

In the kitchen Ama was putting the finishing touches on that evening's dinner, a home cooked meal straight from the pages of her mother's old recipe book.

Sadia stood next to Ama, watching the red sauce in the pan cackle to life from the heat. "Are you gonna put that sauce on top?" she asked.

"Yes mija (daughter)." Next to Ama was a tray full of tortillas wrapped and stuffed with cheese and chicken.

" Are you gonna put cheese on top?" Ama couldn't help but laugh.

"Well of course! Otherwise I wouldn't be able to call it enchiladas."

As soon as she finished cooking, Ama made four plates of food and set them on the table. "La comida esta listo! (the food's ready)"

Ama loved to watch her kids relish in the food she made; "Wow! Mama this is delicious!" exclaimed Abel.

"Mmmmm...." was the only sound Loma could make while she stuffed her face, Sadia smiled after every bite.

Ama hoped her mother was proud, despite all the chaos she went through every day thanks to her energetically charged children, she was still able to tame them with a warm cooked meal at the end of the day.

"Did you have fun at the beach? Sora's mom told me about Kairi."

Abel was the first to speak; "She was kind of quiet at first, but it didn't take long for her to have fun with us."

"I thought she was a weirdo." shrugged Loma, mid-chew.

Ama frowned. "Paloma, why would you say something like that, huh? That's not a very nice thing to say."

"I'm sorry! It's just this feeling I got, I dunno." Paloma's mother sighed.

"I like her. She was nice to me. She told me she's gonna teach me how to make stuff." Sadia offered the table a toothy grin.

"I liked hanging out with her too. I'm glad Sora and Riku are her friends already. I can tell she used to be lonely." continued Abel.

"Well duh, she's lonely 'cause her parents abandoned her!" offered Paloma.

"We can't jump to conclusions mija (daughter), we don't know anything about her situation. The only thing you need to worry about is making her feel welcomed."

Loma shrugged and went back to eating; Ama looked over at her with a concerned look, Paloma was by far the most outspoken of the three, not to mention the most rebellious in nature.

Abel was a nice boy who tried to do the right thing all the time, but Ama could tell actively 'trying' to be a good person twenty-four seven put a strain on him....and Sadia, the youngest, was a helpless little thing, very attached to her mother, or anyone she's close to, anyone who can guide her through life. Ama often thought she's become a little too dependent on others.

They were flawed individuals, but they were only children. And all people, no matter how young or old they were, have flaws, including their very own mother.

Ama got up from the table and headed toward the fridge; "And for dessert, I proudly announce...."

"Your favorite, tres leches cake!" All three of her kids gasped; "A slice for each of you."

The white frosted spongy cake had always been an absolute hit within her family. There was no one in this world who could ever say they didn't like tres leches cake.

Abel, Paloma, and Sadia pierced their slices with a fork as soon as their plate hit the table.

The corners of Ama's rosey lips stretched into a smile. "The rest of the cake is in a pink box in the fridge, but absolutely no cake for breakfast. Entiendes? (understand?)"

All she got in response was a chorus of inaudible 'yes mama's'; Ama laughed, her children were savages.

"You know, I love you guys. Each and every one of you. Very, very much." She then proceeded to give each of her offspring a hug and a wet kiss, whether they wanted it or not. Paloma was the one who was usually most resistant to mother-daughter affection.

"Okay, stop! Your embarrassing!" cried Paloma, as she broke away from the embrace. She disappeared into her room, probably to play her GameBoy no doubt. I regret ever buying her that thing.

The rest of the evening proceeded with board games and jolly laughter between Ama, Abel, and Sadia. At some point though, Ama decided to check up on her eldest daughter, whose already been in her room for over an hour and a half since dinner.

It took two knocks until Paloma yelled "Come in!"

Opening the door fully, Ama tilted her head at her daughter, who laid on the bed mashing buttons on her GameBoy, just as she had been doing all day.

"We're playing loteria (bingo), wanna join us?" she asked.

"No, I'm okay."

"Are you sureeee?" Ama tried sounding as obnoxious as possible, which only made Loma roll her eyes.

"I'm too old for that."

"Or maybe you're too old for that." Ama pointed at her GameBoy, which caused her daughter to scoff.

"Can you just leave me alone right now? I'm almost done with this level!"

Ama sighed. "Okay, have a goodnight then mija (daughter)." she leaned over and kissed Paloma's head of dark hair before returning to the den.

As the clock crept closer to eleven, Ama wrapped up a night of fun and put Sadia to bed.

Meanwhile Abel helped clean up the kitchen, including the dishes; Ama shook her head at the sight.

"You don't have to do that." she stated tiredly.

"It's okay, I wanna help."

"You always wanna help mijo (son)." Ama ruffled his thick black hair; "Never lose that. You should always want to help people. "

"Working on anything big tomorrow for work?" asked her son.

"Probably another wedding dress." Ama joked.

"Did you like being married....to dad?" Abel's voice remained calm, although his father's been on his mind quite frequently the past month.

Ama didn't expect such a deep question so late at night, then again, she knew Abel had been in deep thought recently.

"Of course. I loved him. But the universe sometimes has different plans for us." Ama didn't sound sad but accepting, she's cried enough for one lifetime already.

"I miss him, a lot." sighed Abel.

Ama put a loving hand to Abel's cheek; "I know mijo (son)."

The night was slightly colder than usual, but the day was just like any other. As soon as her three children went to bed, Ama knew it was time.

★☆★☆★☆★☆

"Man, why does Riku always ace his tests!?" complained Paloma.

Ama's three children were walking back home from school that day, little to her brother's surprise, Paloma was in a mood.

"He looks like he studies...Something you should start doing Loma. Instead of playing that GameBoy all the time."

Loma sneered at Abel, while Sadia made a dash towards the door. She was excited to tell her mom more about Kairi and her knack for crafts. Today she taught her how to make charms.

"Mama!" Sadia called as she entered the house. Paloma and Abel were right behind her arguing, but the youngest didn't pay them any mind. When Sadia didn't get a response, a feeling of dread pierced her stomach.

"Mama?" Nobody was in the kitchen, which was strange because Ama was usually home before the kids got back from school. She'd be cooking dinner when they'd arrive.

"Mama?!" Sadia yelled this time as her heart began beating with anxiety.

"Mom's not here!"

Abel raised an eyebrow at Sadia's bewilderment, "Well maybe she went to the store."

Loma opened the refrigerator door, but the shelves were fully stacked. "Hmmm, I dunno for what. The fridge is full of food."

"Maybe she's with Sora or Riku's mom. Their friends after all." he suggested

"She should've left a note then!" exclaimed Sadia. Paloma and Abel exchanged concerned glances.

The three kids searched the house up and down, the backyard, and front yard, but nothing. Abel called Sora and Riku's residence on the house phone, but Ama wasn't there either.

"Abel. Sadia." Paloma's voice was grim. "I found it."

Back in the kitchen Loma held a white letter up, face a sickly white. Her siblings quickly joined her, and once they realized what was going on, their expressions matched their sister's.

Sadia began to cry.