Nina's Diary.

My oldest child, Sara ran into the living room. At the age of six, I think she was going through some kind of hyperactive phase. Then her twin brother, younger by half an hour, Gary followed her.

"Sara! Kyle's gonna get us!"

"No, he isn't!"

Just then, four year old Kyle ran at them and they shrieked. Where was Fabian when I needed him? Oh, that's right. WORK!

My three year old, Martin bounced in going "Bubbles and bananas!" Though in Martin's case it was "Guggles an nanas."

My one year old was lay next to me, holding the tiny guitar that we gave her as a first birthday present. She could already play simple tunes. I think it comes from Fabian and his musical teachings.

Talking of my beautiful kids, there's going to be a sixth one in around eight months or something like it.

The twins had their dad's hair and features, but with my eyes and personality. Kyle was his dad in miniature. Martin had my hair, my eyes and his dad's features and his personality. Lola was me in miniature and one hundred percent my personality traits.

I've already told Fabian, but we haven't told our kids yet.

"I'll get it, Mummy!" Sara screamed two minutes before the doorbell rang.

Sara was at the door and opening it just as I ran to see to her.

"Ah-h-h! Hello, cutie pie!" That sounded like... was it actually Trudy?

Looking from Sara's dark and very tightly curly hair, I saw two gorgeous little boys in matching jeans and T-shirts and a tiny little girl in a dinky pastel purple dress.

"Nina. Hello." Jasper.

"Jasper, darling, don't be so formal. We know Nina. Hello, sweetie." That was Trudy.

"Hi. Come on inside. Looks like there's going to be a windstorm in about ten minutes. Fabian's almost home."

True enough, he got inside literally two minutes before a storm hit.

"Hey, everyone."

We all smiled and said "Hey."

He whispered to Trudy and Jasper and they smiled. He told them about the little addition. Then he offered out drinks. All eight kids spoke up eagerly. Trudy had a little conversation with Jasper then nodded at Fabian. They were quiet, unlike them.

"So why so quiet?"

Trudy whispered so that only I could hear.

"Jasper's just gone through a rough spot at work and it's shocked him a little bit. He's not really saying or doing that much, though he tries to be as happy and active as possible. It really sucks up his energy. I've tried forcing him to stay in bed, but he hasn't been so happy with that and it ended up in a tiny row."

He looked at her as if she'd offended him.

"Trudy."

"What?"

"You know what."

"You're just being over-sensitive. I'm only saying what's true."

"It's not a rough spot at all. It was a little row with a co-worker and the boss got involved and I resigned from the place. I'm not in shock, though that's what Ms I-am-not-telling-anyone-the-truth wants to tell anyone who asks us, and she seems to think I have to sleep rather than be with my kids."

Trudy looked like she was all too ready to slap him. Hard.

Instead she just said "Believe what you like. But when you're sick because of all the stress, I'll be able to say that I told you so."

"No, you won't. You'll do what you always do and start fussing. You're just that kind of person."

"No, I'm not."

With that, she stopped speaking to him. Fabian brought in the drinks and we sat and chatted. Well, with the exception of Trudy, who was still in a slight huff. It wasn't really funny. The kids got a little bit too rowdy and we had to shut them up.

Eventually, Trudy got sick of their noise.

"SHUT UP, YOU KIDS! YOU'RE WAY TOO LOUD!"

For someone so quiet, she achieved a considerably loud volume. It silenced everyone. I looked at her with admiration. I'd never heard her voice get so loud. Not even when she was screaming about the mice Victor had once let loose. She's such a quiet person. But that shout, she's never been that loud. Even Jasper was shocked by it. Trudy went silent again, this time in embarrassment.

After that, there was scarcely any noise.

Jasper said "She's impressive. I've heard her shouting before, but she's never reached that volume. The only time she's ever really yelled is now."

She muttered "I'll get to that volume again and it'll be right down your ears if you don't stop gabbing that nonsense." It was just loud enough for him to hear it and poke her in her side very gently.

Fabian and I exchanged a look, then waited to see her reaction.

"Don't." A very tiny whisper, barely even a noise. Just a faint sound.

He left her alone, until they left. I sat there, thinking. Fabian played with our kids, while I sat still and silent.

I got up to make our supper, and nobody noticed. Like I was a ghost. For some reason, while I was cooking, it smelled rotten.

"Hey, Fabian, come here."

He came in and stood next to me.

"Does this smell one hundred percent rotten to you?"

"Mm, no. It smells one hundred percent delicious. Why?"

"Because it smells repulsive. It's disgusting."

"I'll take over, you go lie down."

So I came up here and wrote all in my diary. I don't really want to join in at dinner. Even up here, it stinks. It's one billion percent revolting. I can't sit at the table or anywhere else with it right in front of me. I think it might be my hormones telling me it's yuck. But I hate the STINK of the stuff. I'd made pasta sauce, which I usually adore. But now it stinks of rottenness. So what now? Cheese and ham sandwiches with pickle? Because that sounds like it could be yum. Yeah... Cheese, ham and pickle sandwiches!

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What do you think? R&R. Until next time, Random Dizzy. :D