"Hey when should I expect the Fisher report?"
"Hello mom, I'm fine by the way how are you and Nat and the girls? Your grandchildren are fine so is Ash thanks for asking" Ava rolled her eyes stepping out of the elevator while talking to her mother on her blackberry.
"Baby you know I'm always concerned about you and my babies but right now I need to get that report so that I can take it to the meeting with Rouse. In case you hadn't noticed we are on a deadline."
"When aren't we on a deadline? I'll have it to you by the end of the day okay"
"Ava"
"I've got to go I just walked in"
Ava and her family had been in New York for the past thirteen months and while it was Ashlee's teaching position that caused the move Ava and her mother were determined to use it to further the Beacon's market. Sometime in the next four to five years Olivia hoped to franchise her hotel but had put off those plans until the Beacon was as well known as the Hilton. Her mother hated the fact that her grandchildren were so far away but if they had to be there she and Ava could at least help secure their futures. The first two months that Ava, Ashlee and the kids spent in New York were a rush of trying to both figure out schedules and trying hard to retain a semblance of normalcy but it was hardly easy. For starters the children were used to spending most of their time during the week with at least one of their mothers. Although both Ava and Ashlee worked full time at very demanding careers childcare had never been an issue. Usually Ashlee would limit her teaching positions to nights or weekends at the local community colleges and if something did come up the sitter would use a suite at the Beacon while Ava worked down stairs. Not that the usual emergencies didn't occur while raising three toddlers but in these cases there was always five grandmothers and extended family members happy to spend and hour or three entertaining. For Ashlee and Ava getting used to the fact that rescue wasn't a ninety minute drive away was a bit daunting.
Ava was working in Manhattan trying to lay the ground work for a future Beacon and although she was not a stranger to hard work or even the rough and tumble of wooing investors or securing financing it was totally different from her experiences in Chicago or even San Francisco. She didn't daily feel that everyone was looking down their noses at her for even suggesting that the Beacon could compete with the other high end hotels on the island much less become a franchise. Every time she met a potential investor she was starting to be able to count down to the actual instant their eyebrows rose and their eyes did obligatory roll when they found out that she not only had no MBA much less any actual degree. It was only a few seconds later that they started scanning the room for the hostess with the bill once they learned that she was the owner's upstart kid. Not that she was discouraged or even embarrassed by their mental dismissal because although it was very true she would not have her current position if she were not Olivia's daughter she knew better than anyone that DNA was not linked whatsoever in her continued employment if her mother didn't feel she was the best for the job. Showing the pompous and arrogant suits her ability regardless of her lack of educational credentials is what she'd been doing since she arrived in Springfield all those years ago. It just would have been so much simpler if she didn't have to fight each time to convince them each time that not only was the company capable but she even deserved the right to their time. Once they decided to mentally engage there were very few who walked away without deciding to partner up in some form and the few that walked almost always called back within a few days after doing some more research. Ava was queen of the hard sell and it was what the island and her mother demanded but there was not a moment that she didn't leave the office wondering what the blue fuck she had been thinking in leaving the Midwest.
Looking over hard won signatures Ava called her mother in Springfield, Illinois "Mom I'm going to have Rose scan over these papers as soon as I get to the office and then maybe you can get Rouse to get off my ass for a minute."
"Ava honey you better be careful before Ash hears about you and Rouse"
"Very funny. I'm going to the office and then I'm going home"
"It's still early"
"And I work late"
"Give kisses to my babies and I better be seeing them no later than Thursday or there will be trouble and not just from me but from their abuela."
"Yeah yeah"
Two Speech and three Freshman Composition I were the courses that Ashlee was teaching, two courses that no teacher in their right mind would sign on for. That is if they had any inkling that tenure wasn't on the eventual horizon. But this as Ashlee's first year at the college and she had only taught at a barely middle ranked community college so teaching any class at all at NYC should have been a dream come true. That was what she kept telling herself as she spent ten hours each weekday listening to students reading mechanical speeches on topics such as creating a twitter account or how to change a spare tire. Composition was only marginally better because for every actual well thought and grammatically correct paper there were ten that she had to cross reference just to make sure they weren't stolen from wikipedia or from . This was definitely not what she had been thinking when she had maintained a full course load even during off terms for the past six years. She loved helping and mentoring students and was extremely proud that she had been hired by such an accomplished school but she didn't know how she would maintain her enthusiasm until she was allowed to work with students who actually wanted to take her class opposed to those openly resentful that they were made to waste precious time and dollars on something seemingly pointless and subject verb agreement. If hostile and lazy students were the troubles she faced she doubted that each day would be a chore but she had slowly learned that being the new teacher was worst than being the new kid ten times over. Everyone that wasn't tenured saw you as competition for the few positions and for research money. Those that had attained the status of the elect sometimes openly enjoyed watching your uncertainty. As it was each day she left her office after grading endless quizzes, tests, projects, and essays she sat in the car with the windows tightly rolled up the chanting the only light upon the horizon. In six months should she do well on her peer reviews and student evaluations she would be allowed to teach a creative writing course. Slowing counting down the number of days until that class cleared her mind enough to put the stress of work behind her until the next day.
"Hey Ash what time are the babies coming?"
"Um mom I'm pretty sure a five year old and two three year olds needs their parents to fly so we will be there Thursday night. Your grandchildren, daughter in law and you only child if I still count."
"Don't be so dramatic of course I know you and Ava are coming. So last time you all stayed at the farmhouse first its our turn this time."
"Mom its probably easier if we stay at the Beac"
"What you take my grandchildren out of the state, out of the freaking time zone and when you finally decide to come back to visit you want to stay at a hotel instead of with your family?!"
"Oh my God mother we were just there last month. Fine we'll stay with you but don't complain when they are running all over the house"
"When have I ever complained about my grandchildren"
"Yeah yeah"
"Spence, if you throw one more thing off your plate you're getting a time out is that understood?" The newly three year old dropped his hands to his side and shifted his eyes to the tall blonde woman kneeling under the table trying her best to get out the mashed up carrots he had tossed while she had been in the kitchen getting he and his sister's milk. He still had a few orange crumbs in his hand that he was wondering how to get rid of before she came closer to his chair. The twins were sitting a few feet from each other in high chairs supposedly eating their last meal before their parents and older brother returned home. Amy learned early how precarious dining positions were in the Wolf Peralta home. Their high chairs couldn't be too close together or Spence would reach over and swipe items from his sister's tray. Not that Cat wouldn't share because she would if you said please and pointed then Cat would happily smoosh whatever you'd pointed to in her fist and insist on force feeding it to you getting most of it on your face instead of in your mouth. Spence however seemed to get special joy out of tormenting his sister. Not that they didn't get along and share toys well ordinarily because they did but during meal time all bets were off. The kicker was that Spence didn't even want what he took because he they always had the same meal and he didn't touch it when it was on his plate. No he just liked snatching hers and watching her face contort. Amy had been their nanny for the past year and meal times were the only times that she dreaded.
Spence watching closely until Amy is otherwise distracted and grins wildly as he absconds with his sister's goods. Cat immediately flabbergasted each time this happens although it happens at least once a day huffs and socks him in the jaw. Spence with his mouth momentarily unhinged and a jaw with shock throws the material down shaking his head merrily with glee at out smarting his sister. Again. So the twin's don't eat too near each other but if they are too far away they scream at the top of their lungs with grabby hands reaching for the other.
Other than their antipathy during meals the twins play surprisingly well at home with each other although they are absolutely nothing alike. Jeffrey Spencer Wolf Peralta, Spence, is blond haired and green eyed. Amy has seen a picture of all of his grandmothers and feels that he most resembles Ashlee's mother although his eyes are exactly like Ava's mother. Spence might be described as strong willed by people expecting children to be silent and docile. He knows exactly what he likes and isn't afraid of telling you repeatedly and loudly and even at three he has personality. Spence arrives on the playground and everyone notices even oblivious fathers but he isn't a bully or overbearing he's just always on. All the kids want to play with him and all the mothers comment about his delightful antics. Spence is always in motion even more so than the average three year old which is saying something. He is the type of child that people often say ought to be on television.
Spence bolts into a play date and centers himself in the largest crowd and entertains everyone but his sister Catherine Spencer Wolf Peralta, Cat, eases in and watches the room studying each face before she either joins a group of two or three babies and quietly listens and plays only after a few moments of consideration. Cat has Ashlee's eyes and Ava's hair and looks exactly like Ava's mother. Where Spence wows Cat soothes. Spence moves with the crowd but even at three Cat has started preferring certain children as friends. People ask if the two are even twins because in public they hardly ever interact with each other. Amy wondered about it as well until Cat was playing with two new children and an older boy decided that he wanted their toy. Snatching the truck away the four year old slapped Cat in the face for good measure. Once Spence heard her cry he ran from across the room punched the boy in the stomach, pushed him over, and handed the truck back to his sister. Cat reached over and slapped him just in case he forgot the lesson. Cat doesn't need her brother to fight her battles so the unfortunate kid gets it from them both. From that moment on no kid ever took anything from Cat and one kid even handed her his personal toy once he saw Wolf Peralta twins in action.
Leashing, sorry harnessing , the twins at three thirty they made their daily trip to pick Amy's eldest Wolf Peralta charge. Agustino Spencer Wolf Peralta, Stino, is five years old and goes to an exclusive day school that's less than a ten minutes walk from the house. Each afternoon Stino's just walking out of class as they wait in the school's recreation area. Stino has with olive skin while both his sister and brother and parents are quite pale especially Spence and Ashlee. Stino has chocolate brown eyes and jet black curly hair. He is almost a carbon copy of his mother Ava especially when his curly fell past his shoulders. His parents decided to cut it before school started because people kept confusing him with a girl. Amy assumed he got his eyes from his father but when she saw a picture of his abuela she was too surprised because she was pretty sure they were not genetically related. Once the twins saw their brother they all out sprinted towards him and because Amy doesn't want to explain broken teeth or scratched chins to their parents she runs as well. Each day Stino hugged and kissed them as they finally reached him and smiles up at Amy. Stino has to walk in between the two and he has to hold both their hands and he has to equally respond to both of the twins questions. She doesn't spend much time with Stino usually just making him a snack just before he starts on his homework but she was able to determine that he was quiet like his sister but without her explosive temper. After spending the entire day only with each other as company the twins harassed and followed him around as soon as he had stepped away from his homework desk. They are quiet and calm while he studs but after that all bets were off and he belongs to them. Amy can tell when he is getting frustrated but instead of pushing or shoving them Stino simply stands in front of them shaking his head and his hand saying no no like a school teacher. Stino has more patience for his sister but only because she is less boisterous then their brother. In all the time she had been their nanny she had only witnessed Stino's temper once. A friend of his came over and started pulling on Cat's hair. While Spence socked him Stino picked the friend up and placed him in time out but then socked him when he refused to settle down. Amy had a feeling that Cat was going to catch hell from her protective brothers once she decided to date.