"Momma? When will Papa be home?" Clarissa groaned impatiently, waving her feet up and down as she sat on Gaston's armchair, gazing out the window.

"When he gets here." Sarah sighed. She had been instructing 12-year-old Elana, the spitting image of her mother, in how to properly cook stew. And Joshua and Clarissa's squabbling was tiring her, especially because Elana had cut her finger trying to chop carrots and then she had spilled the pepper into the pot of broth.

"I hope it's soon!" Clarissa continued.

"Clarissa? Don't forget that it is your turn to set the table for supper tonight." Sarah reminded her.

"I know, Momma." Clarissa replied quickly. "Here he comes! He-never mind." She groaned. "It's only Josh."

The lanky dark-haired figure strode through the front gate down the path toward the house steps. He was returning home from his work day in town at the newspaper. He was an apprentice to the Monsieur Johnathan who ran the paper. Joshua Legume had inherited his father's weakness of bragging, so he felt at home helping print news for all to read, and doing his part to make their town of Villenueve expand.

Joshua walked into the front sitting room. "It's just you." Clarissa huffed with her arms crossed.

"Yeah? Well, don't summon the trumpeters all at once." Joshua retorted.

"I wish you were Papa instead." Clarissa pouted.

"That's your tough luck." Joshua rolled his eyes and peeked into the kitchen. "Mother? How long until supper?"

"Not for a bit." Sarah exhaled heavily. "We had a mishap. Supper will take a little longer."

"What?" Joshua grinned evilly. "Did you dump the bicarbonate of soda into the bread dough again, Sis?" He teased.

"Oh, do shut it, Josh!" Elana cringed, biting her lip to keep tears from welling up in her eyes.

"That's enough, Josh." Sarah scolded. "Look at your hands! Did you not wash them before leaving the paper?"

"Oh. Nah. I didn't even notice them." Joshua shrugged.

"You go wash them right now." Sarah said.

"Mother, I'm not seven anymore."

"Josh, don't argue with me for once." Sarah said dismissively.

"Okay, okay." Joshua backed out. "Oh, Sis?"

"What?" Elana glared at him, expecting another insult.

"Make sure you chop and peel the carrots before you cook the stew. Don't just pick them straight out of the garden and toss them in the pot!" Joshua teased.

"Enough." Sarah said coldly.

"Gosh, Mother. It was just a joke."

"Go wash your hands."

"Papa!" Clarissa cheered from the front sitting room.

Thank goodness, Sarah thought.

Clarissa nearly tackled her father before he completely walked through the door. "Papa!" She exclaimed.

"Well, that's quite a greeting for a hard working man." Gaston boasted.

"Tsk." Joshua rolled his eyes. "Sweet as sugar, and even more sour as vinegar."

"Papa? Will you tell Josh that he's just a big, mean know-it-all?" Clarissa hissed.

"Papa? Will you please tell this little miscreant that she's delusional?"

"Whoa there now!" Gaston blinked, surprised. "What is this all about? Dear?"

"I do not know!" Sarah called from the kitchen. "Will you please deal with it?"

"Ohh." Gaston rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright, what is this all about?"

"Papa, tell Josh that girls can too hunt!" Clarissa demanded.

"Papa, tell her that's just stupid!" Joshua insisted.

"It is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!

"Is too!"

"I'm older. I know what I'm talking about, shrimp." Joshua said haughtily.

"Ha! That's rich." Clarissa retorted. "You think that just because you're bigger, you know everything! You-"

"Alright, enough!" Gaston boomed over them. "You two are both too old to be acting like this. Give your poor mother a break."

"Does she need it!" Joshua agreed.

"Ohh! You're awful!" Elana burst into tears and ran up to her room to weep her frustration out.

"Joshua. You really could've been kinder." Sarah said curtly.

"Mother, you don't cry every time I make jokes about your cooking." Joshua replied.

"That's because I've learned to take it in stride. Elana is just starting out, and she's doing her best. In order to learn, we sometimes have to make mistakes." Sarah explained.

"Well then," Clarissa chided triumphantly, "I guess Josh still has a whole lot to learn, 'cause he keeps making mistakes!"

"Speak for yourself, you imp." Joshua sneered. Clarissa pursed her lips and began to march toward him with physical intent. Gaston calmly pinched the back of her collar and tugged her back.

"I said that's enough!" He scolded sharply. "Rissy? Your brother is older and deserves more respect."

"Ugh. Him? Why?" Clarissa grimaced.

"Because he is acting as second hand head of the house." Gaston said. "And you, Josh, you know better than to edge your sisters on when arguing."

"But, Papa, girls…hunting! Did you ever hear of anything so stupid?" Joshua pleaded.

"Yes, my boy. In my time, I have heard many stupid things. And I will admit, I have said them too on occasion. But females hunting is not one of them." Gaston said calmly.

"There! See?" Clarissa stuck her tongue out at her big brother.

"With the way she opens her mouth every second, the game will clear away to the next town!" Joshua remarked.

"Out! Both of you, get to your chores while I try to make some sense out of your supper." Sarah interjected.

"Yes, yes, Mother!" Both children burst and hurried out of the room.

Sarah rubbed her face with her hands. Gaston stepped over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Tired, my angel?" He murmured.

"Mmm." Sarah nodded against his chest. "I always thought that the children growing to do for themselves would make things easier." She sighed wearily. "But no, it only increases my headaches."

"One day, my love, they will all leave the nest. And then you will miss their ridiculous squabbles." Gaston reminded her.

"Please, don't bring that up now." Sarah moaned. "I am at a loss on what to do for supper. Elana was trying, she really was. But she cut her finger, and…made another blunder. And Josh's constant teasing didn't help matters."

"Ah. I will speak with him." Gaston said. "I may be getting along in years, but I can promise you that I have not forgotten my mother's severe lectures when my fooling around went too far!" Sarah giggled then sighed.

"She does need to learn to not be completely timid when being criticized. But I feel for her. It can be so very disparaging when you do your best but fail and someone only keeps rubbing it in your face."

"Ahh, my love, when have you ever failed me at anything?" Gaston whispered, tilting her chin up toward him. Sarah shook her head.

"Oh, you."

"I tell you what. Why don't you gather the children, and we eat supper at the tavern tonight?" Gaston suggested. Sarah's eyes lit up.

"Oh, Gaston! Could we?" She pleaded longingly.

"I believe so. We haven't been there for a while, and Lefou told me that his cooks have been bringing out some scrumptious, new dishes. He declares that the town swears by them!"

"Gaston! Shh!" Sarah gasped.

"You go get freshened up. I'll make sure the children finish their chores."

"I love you." Sarah cooed, catching his lips, then she hurried off to the wash room. Gaston decided to let Joshua and Clarissa spiel their rivaling energy into their jobs, and perhaps they'd cool off. He decided it'd be best to put Elana's worries at ease, now that he'd managed to cheer up his wife.

Ahh, life had been easier when Luke and Allyson were still around. As the oldest, they had been able to help comfort and mentor their younger siblings, especially in Gaston or Sarah's absence. But as adults, they'd both needed to live their own lives now. Luke at 21-years-old, was going to law school. He wanted to not only be a magistrate like his father, but he wanted to be able to take on other tasks that steered that kind of job, dealing with loopholes in the system, being diplomatic in negotiation, etc.

At 19, Allyson was newly married...to Prince Charles! Adam and Belle's oldest son had been learning to take his father's place, but he had made a name for himself already as a wise ambassador for the crown. He'd been smitten with Allyson when he'd first laid eyes on her, serving at the shelter in town that Sarah had founded. Adam and Belle had strongly cautioned him to tread discerningly: after all, he wanted to court Gaston's daughter! A beautiful young woman to behold, Gaston was not surprised that anyone would be interested in his little Allie, but it completely cut him off guard to learn that it was Adam and Belle's son, of all people! But they assured him that they would keep a sharp eye on the young prince to insure that he treated his sweetheart no less than decent. They'd fallen in love quickly, and even Gaston couldn't deny their deep, genuine devotion. He'd procrastinated for as long as he could in any way he could to keep the inevitable at bay: it wasn't easy letting go of his precious little girl! With Sarah's help, he finally gave in. Allyson, his Allie, was happy with her new husband, and together they would make things better for the people around them. But Gaston vowed to never forgive that 'beastly' prince spawn for winning his baby's heart!

Thankfully, he still had two more little girls to raise and cherish, and a sturdy, strapping son to boot! That had helped ease some of the ache in his heart of marrying off Allyson. But raising the middle and youngest children without the two older ones had brought on an entirely new set of challenges! Joshua wanted to be seen as a man, and treated like one. And that often meant that he acted more bossy than usual with his sisters. The fact that he was older than both of them gave him a sense of entitlement. Elana was becoming a teenager, a young woman! She was determined to be an excellent gentlewoman, and a homemaker. But her amateur skills were pretty discouraging. She wanted to be the best she could be. Well, part of that path involved making mistakes and not giving up, something she needed to learn now.

And then there was Clarissa. The youngest, most unpredictable, most headstrong, most energetic, most precocious child of the Legume household. She was practically Joshua's twin in so many ways: they both had dark brunette hair and blue eyes, their fiercely competitive streaks (inherited from their father), notoriously outspoken, clearly unafraid to speak their minds, the list went on. Sometimes Gaston was pretty sure that God Himself had gotten their children mixed up when they were born! For Joshua and Clarissa were mirrors of each other. How had Elana been born between them? Clarissa was Gaston and Sarah's absolute tomboy. She loved climbing trees, wrestling with her brothers and her daddy, training the horses, trying rope tricks, and eager to outshine the boys in town at anything. They were always surprised at what new, and wild, unladylike skill or scheme she came up with next!

And now she wanted to hunt!

Gaston shook his head. Honestly, what was he going to do with this complex brood of offspring?