The Monroe Legacy - G,2. Chapter Twenty-Four - Let It Be

Days sped by and became weeks, weeks became months and months years. Hallie watched as her children grew-up, often remarking to Cai that this precious time seemed to go past twice as quickly as the long months of potty training and night feeds!

 Cai could only agree, he could see it not only in his family but in himself, his joints were that bit stiffer and his hair a little greyer. The grey hairs were partly Violet's fault! The source of her mysterious texts had finally been discovered one evening when Hallie and Cai had returned from a gallery opening to discover their eldest daughter making out with the babysitter. Gray was at a cooking camp and Violet herself "had plans" and had recommended an acquaintance as a sitter.

Chadd was a college student who had come in to give a careers talk and been disarmed by Violet's big-eyed charm. Poor Chadd had no idea that Violet's parents didn't know about him OR their secret babysitting date. Cai let the terrified young man go home after some not very subtle threats as to what might become him if he behaved inappropriately or hurt Violet.

Violet did not get off so easily, she was smart enough that the extra project they assigned was not an issue but she did not like the two month grounding that accompanied it. Her blog posts that month were angry and infrequent, she was only allowed her phone to take to school and back.

While Violet was staging the teen drama to end all dramas, Gray was planning for his future. He was in and out of the bookstore looking for recipes, whipping up delicious meals in his free time. Hallie soon gave up on cooking meals altogether and retreated to her work bench, leaving her talented son to do as he wished.

As pleased as his parents were that he had found his calling they still worried that Gray didn't have much of a social life. He hung out with his siblings and occasionally did a group study at school but never seemed to have a good friend let alone a girlfriend. Hallie even spoke to Violet about Gray, Violet assured her mom that her brother was popular enough in school but never seemed interested in pursuing any relationships, preferring his own company.

Jet was another who preferred to be alone though he claimed that Rocky was always with him. Hallie and Cai had learned to tune the Rocky chat out, confronting Jet only seemed to make him angry as he tried to explain that only he could see Rocky. They didn't mind him having an imaginary friend as long as it wasn't his only friend, Jet had made friends with a little girl called Raylee at Scouts and the two often had play dates together.

Sienna was still the perfect child. She would always do her homework without being asked, she had no desire to stay up late and she mostly too, care of herself. She was a sweet, easy-going child, much to Hallie's relief, she had her hands full with the other four.

Sienna's only real vice was her inability to ignore her provocative little sister.

Saffron loved to ruffle Sienna's feathers, hiding her ballet kit, putting fake spiders in her bed, anything to break through the calm exterior. The two competed at everything, video games, playground games and especially ballet. Whenever a recital cam round the two sisters would battle for the lead role, the teacher switching between the two of them as they were so evenly matched.

Hallie wondered if Saffron was a little jealous of her sister, Sienna seemed to glide through life while Saffron was always tripping herself up. She was so hot-headed that it took a brave soul to be her best friend, she could be relied upon to drop whatever she was asked to carry, to somehow break any machine and to sulk when it all went wrong.

When it went right Saffron was a marvel. She was genuinely gifted in drama, she could put a smile on the most miserable parent's face in the school play and she was fiercely loyal to those she loved. When she caught a group of boys teasing Sienna about her short hair at recess she locked them in the girl's bathroom where they weren't found until lunch!

By the time the triplets had finished with elementary school Hallie knew she needed to start thinking more seriously about choosing an heir, she was beginning to slow down, to want to spend her evenings reminiscing with Cai rather than chasing Saffron round the garden or bribing Jet to do his homework.

She hoped that now they were becoming teenagers they'd all begin to find their ways, decide what they wanted to be so that she could make her impossible choice.

Jet was a good-looking young man but he was so absent-minded, making random plans and never seeing them through. His latest idea was to start a horse livery and become an equestrian. Hallie wondered if it would last and whether her mother's legacy would be secure with him at the helm.

Sienna was a calm and collected teen, positive about everything she could make the best of any season or situation. Hallie knew that Sienna would succeed in life regardless of her choice, she would be a great heiress, a responsible choice but did she really need the opportunity as much as the others?

Saffron was as wild as she was beautiful, she was passionate in her love and hate of things, determined to become an actress and a complete loose cannon. Hallie hoped that she would burn bright and achieve her dream but she knew the path of an actress could as easily make her wilful daughter burn out.

Perhaps Violet, flirtatious, frivolous Violet who hid her big heart under a big show of not caring.

Or maybe hardworking Gray, would he even want the responsibility or would his single-minded focus not allow him to make the family his first priority.

As the last cake plate was cleared and the family began to make it's way up to bed, Hallie sighed.

However would she choose?

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Read the next chapter of Hallie's story now - Ch 25 - A Change of Scenery

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The Monroe Legacy- G.2. Chapter 23 - Letting Go

Life was never quiet in the Monroe house these days. Hallie sometimes wished for the old times, for the silent house where she and Cai would create in their separate places and then come together. Then she'd see her children playing together or catch Cai's eye as he read a bedtime story and realise that she wouldn't change what she had been blessed with for anything.

The time was approaching for the triplets to start school and it was hard to accept that her babies would be growing up and becoming more independent. With Violet at high-school, socialising whenever she had a chance and Gray holed up in his room Hallie knew it would be another big change. No longer would they be her little babies, they'd be out in the world and growing up without her there for every small step.

She and Cai had decided against a big party for the triplets, it would be enough of a struggle to get them all to a cake without having to host their enormous extended family too!

When their birthday came around Hallie set up the cakes before hiding in the bathroom to have a little cry. It was the end if an era, they'd never have babies in the house again and when she emerged, her eyes a little red, Cai held her close, they could both feel time beginning to slip through their fingers.

As the eldest, Jet was first  blowing out his candles and then insisting they be lit again for Rocky. Hallie exchanged a worried look with Cai, they had hoped he would grow out of the imaginary friend stage but apparently their son wasn't ready to let go of the fantasy world yet, he was as absent minded as ever.

Sienna was next, clapping and laughing as her candles were lit. She looked more like her dad than ever though her hair was her mother's, a deep raven black. Sienna opted to cut her hair shorter, she loved to dress in neat little outfits like the heroine of her favourite children's book, Madeline although she was a good girl and never got into messes like Madeline did.

When the time came for Saffron to have her cake Cai couldn't find her anywhere. As they scoured the nursery and the surrounding rooms they heard singing from the studio. Naughty little Saff had somehow climbed over the stair guard, down the stairs and was singing herself happy birthday next to Hallie's easel.

Saffron became a striking child, her long auburn hair loose around her face and her temper hot enough to match. Hallie and Cai knew she was going to be a handful especially when she instantly demanded that they sign her up for drama and ballet classes.

Too soon the youngest members of the Monroe clan were off to school, Cai slightly at a loss as to what to do now the house was empty all day. He started freelancing for the local paper and working on an adult novel for the first time in years.

Hallie spent increasing amounts of time tinkering at her bench. She'd invented a few little widgets and felt like there was a big idea trying it get out, something she'd discover if she just kept on trying.

As her mother tried to master a new technology Violet was making the most of the technology of the moment. She was constantly glued to her phone when at home. Cai had to keep a close eye on her homework as half the time she claimed to be studying she was texting or blogging away, blushing and giggling over some of her texts. She had a constant parade of interested boys at the door but never seemed to have a boyfriend, Cai was just relieved he didn't have to have "that" talk with a serious boyfriend just yet.

Everyone was as surprised that she went to prom solo as they were un-surprised when she was crowned prom queen! Violet loved to pose in her crown and even started a blog documenting her teenage domination of the school. 

Gray was still something of a loner though Hallie had finally persuaded him to join the scouts. He seemed to enjoy the new skills he learned as well as getting dressed up in his uniform. He also began taking an interest in the little toy oven they had pulled out of the attic, he loved to cook up muffins and cakes and sell them outside the house. Gray often amazed his mom with all the creative ideas he had for new recipes.

Sienna often helped Gray out, he was the easiest of her siblings to get along with and the two became quite close. By the time Gray started high school they were thick as thieves.

Gray's birthday and elementary school graduation were a quiet affair, he received his scouting trophy and blew out his candles with little fanfare. Gray was developing into a handsome young man, though Hallie kept trying to persuade him to cut his hair, he always looked like he was hiding behind it. 

Now that he was old enough to use the kitchen he started to cook for the whole family, loving to learn new recipes and dreaming of becoming a chef, he was a natural!

Less natural was the truce that existed between the triplets. Though some days would find them playing nicely together there was a real divide between Sienna and Saffron. 

Jet was an easy going boy, often away with the fairies but he was affectionate enough, his grades were okay and he had a few friends at school even if he did still claim that Rocky, his doll, was his best buddy. He'd disappear for hours into the garden or hide around the house, talking seemingly to himself, Hallie tried not to worry, he'd grow out of it when he was ready.

Sienna was a bit of a goody-two-shoes, already on the honour roll and always punctual with her homework. She loved to please while Saffron preferred to shock! They usually argued around homework time when Sienna would try to focus and Saffron would start singing or talking about how her life would be when she was famous.

Hallie and Cai had made it clear to the girls that there would be consequences for this bickering so the children split down the middle most of the time, Sienna and Gray spending time quietly together whilst Jet and Saffron would play elsewhere, Jet usually too caught up in his daydreams to be annoyed by his noisy sister.

Violet was usually off on her own with her friends though she still didn't have a boyfriend. She did seem to blush and get giggly over her texts sometimes but her parents didn't want to check her phone to find out why, they had to trust her! 

Hallie knew that all she could do was wait and try to teach them right and wrong. With children as different as her five were, the future was bound to be full of surprises.

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Read Chapter 24 - Let It Be now!

The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 22 - After the Storm

After the drama of the last few months Hallie and her family focused inwards, closing ranks to protect the people they loved the most. Cai decided that he wouldn't sign up any more Violet books after the five he was contracted for, the story had reached a natural end and so had his patience with the celebrity attached.

With the royalties and film rights from the existing books the Monroe's would live comfortably for the rest of their lives and be able to set up their children with the traditional nest-egg for their futures. Hallie was still sculpting and selling her work, though increasingly she was fascinated by the circuitry of her more hi-tech pieces and spent a lot of time tinkering at her electrical work bench.

Almost a year after the Carson incident the whole family gathered at the house to celebrate Cai's delivery of the final book in the series Violet and the Deadly Marshmallows, and more pressingly Violet's thirteenth birthday. 

They threw a big pool party, grilled steaks and sausages and danced in the garden. Hallie felt the sun beat down on her and smiled, this was worth every painful moment her and Cai had endured, she hoped her own children would always be as close as she and her siblings were.

The grown-ups were milling about and reminiscing when Violet stomped into the kitchen pouting,

'Mom I wanna blow out my candles now!'

The plan had been to do the cake at the end but Hallie recognised the diva look in her daughter's eyes. They'd worked hard not to spoil Violet but today was her day and it wouldn't do any harm.

Within minutes the candles were lit and Violet was muttering her wish. Hallie felt tears in her eyes, her little one was so big now and soon she would have to think about choosing an heir. For Violet's gift they'd updated her little girls room into a teenage sanctuary and every time Hallie thought of the Princess bed that they'd now given to Belle's daughter Marie she felt a little bit teary.

Violet was in such a hurry that only her parents and Christopher made it in to see her grow up. Violet became a beautiful teenager with mischief in her big green eyes. As soon as she was done with her cake she slipped in to her bikini and slid on to a pool lounger. 

She caught her cousin Zander's exchange student staring at her as she lounged and felt a thrill run through her, she was going to own high school!

As the party wore in and the adults had a little more juice than perhaps they ought, Cai caught sight of his daughter flirting with a boy he didn't recognise. Resisting the urge to tell her to go and put some clothes on he sighed, she wouldn't come to any harm in her own back garden but he knew he was going to have his hands full once she started dating!

Speaking of handfuls, the triplets were growing fast and even with Cai not working it was a struggle to keep them all on the straight and narrow. As soon as Hallie turned her back to feed Saffron, Sienna would start fussing. Jet hated the potty chair, Saffron wouldn't eat any vegetables and Sienna just wanted to be cuddled all the time!

The few moments they did get to themselves were never wasted, Hallie and Cai knew how easy if could be to drift apart when life was busy and they worked to make time for one another, stealing kisses, watching the stars and getting less sleep than was probably sensible!

If Violet hadn't helped out around the place then they probably would never have taught the triplets everything they needed to know, for all her teenage moods she was a devoted big sister.

Gray was a quiet boy and Hallie often worried that he spent too much time alone in his room. He didn't seem to have any friends and spent all his time reading and doing homework. She had asked him if he wanted to have anyone over but he'd mumbled something about needing to focus on school. For all the extra work he put in his grades were fairly average.

Violet was good with him, the pair spent hours playing games, Violet preferred video games but. Gray sometimes persuaded his sister to let him thrash her at chess! 

On a rare evening when everyone was at home Hallie gathered the whole family in the studio where she'd dragged the big sofa. She was determined to get a big family portrait that she could use on the Christmas card this year. After several false starts and with Cai pinning Saffron to his lap so she couldn't run off again she finally got the shot. Violet was posing with her best "this is soooo lame" teenager face, Gray looked happy, Saffron was shrieking with laughter, Sienna was clutching her daddy's leg and Jet was gazing into the distance.

It wasn't a model family catalogue shot, it was better, showing them all as they really were, imperfect but happy.

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See the triplets grow up in Chapter 22 - Letting Go