Chapter 15 - Fall Festival

The rain stopped and keeping true to his word, Francisco loaded up the family into the  the Wilburmobile. He had bought it a while back when Delia was pregnant with Darius to accommodate their expanding family. It came with a guarantee that riding in it would be totally invigorating. It was true and they all had so much fun riding in it. The boys could be miles apart so nobody would "touch" or "look at" anybody else. It was heaven. They used it often. 

Francisco had been on his best behavior and found the time to teach Daniel to drive so Francisco handed him the keys and Daniel proudly drove them to the Festival.  

The Fall Festival had the typical haunted house so they all went inside, including 8 year-old Darius. Poor guy literally got the ‘pee’ scared out of him.  Maybe he was a still a bit too young. 

Then Daniel spied it first; a Pie Eating contest!  "Okay Dad - want another shot at me?" asked Daniel.  Then   Darius chimed in and begged to compete too. After the 'accident' he had to prove he was a big boy.  

Francisco loved it. All three of them, hands flat on the table, dove face first into the blackberry pies. Delia was laughing so hard as Francisco, Darius and Daniel went at it and came up with purple faces!  True to form Daniel was the big winner – winning his second eating contest. They got a family photo made – blackberry stained faces and all.  Delia would come to cherish this photo the rest of her life. 

Even little Duncan got attention.  Everyone wanted to hold him and he loved it.  Such a good-natured little boy.  

Not to leave anyone out of the fun, Francisco told Delia to let Daniel watch Ducan for a few minutes, he had something to show her. He was grinning like the cat that ate the canary! When the boys were settled playing games, he took her over to where they had stacked up a bunch of hay bales.  Perfect for adult fun!  "I am back here Delia, come see" whispered Francisco. She looked around and saw him and then she knew what he had on his mind. She was a bit nervous and looked around.  Nobody was watching so in she went and it turned out to be another great family outing once again for all five of them. She had to be the luckiest girl in the world. 

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Chapter 14 - Birthday Bash and Drama

Everything had settled into a predictable routine. It was exhausting for Delia. She was taking care of three boys while Francisco worked longer and longer hours so she didn't have to try to hold down a job.

Birthdays continued – the boys are just growing up so fast. After the "Darius Birthday Fire" as they called it, Delia was a little afraid to hold Duncan and help him blow out candles, so Francisco did the honors.

Duncan looks even more like his father than Daniel did. He is by far the sweetest
and calmest of the three boys and finds joy in all things such as throwing his food in floor to see if he could make someone pick it up.

Daniel, on the other hand, was turning 16 and he wanted party. So a party he would have! Delia invited over several of his friends from school and they had a very fun birthday party and lots of chocolate cake.

All Daniel can talk about is the Prom coming up soon and which girl he will invite.  Girls were no longer 'stupid' and there quite a few girls he would certainly like to get to know better.
Yes, her babies were growing up too fast.  And when he wasn't talking about the girls, he was hounding his mom to teach him how to drive. They had the cool 'Wilbermobile' as they had affectionately named their huge black Van. Delia told him he would have to wait and have his father do that, she simply didn't have the time and she wasn't going to haul a toddler and 8 year-old with her.  

Taking care of the family was definitely a full time job for Delia and she loved every minute of it. She thought back to when she was a young girl and had only her mother's company. Francisco just took all of this for granted. How could he forget that she was alone when they met? She started to feel a little anger over his absentee fatherhood.  He was working really hard.  But he stayed late – a lot. And that was hard. Delia missed him and the boys did too.

One night he came home a little tipsy after supposedly being at an important client meeting - again. That set her off. She loved him very much and was more hurt than anything. That night, Francisco slept in Darius’s bed after a very heated argument.    

The next day he apologized to Delia and promised to do better. Daniel's bed was comfortable enough, but it wasn't the same as snuggling up next to Delia!  He made sure he helped out with Duncan. Remembering the fun they had when Daniel was little at the Summer Festival, he promised to take the family to the fall festival as soon as the rain stopped. 

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Chapter 13 - The Birthday Fire

Delia and Francisco's family was growing so fast.  Today was a special day for Darius. It was his birthday. They wanted to have a quick party before his brother Daniel had to get off to school and while Duncan was still sleeping. As she has traditionally done for her children, Delia carried Darius to his birthday cake to help him make a birthday wish and blow out the candles. But things didn’t go exactly as planned. 

Little Darius wiggled out of her arms and knocked the lit candles to the floor.   The rug and the curtains whooshed into flames with Francisco trapped behind the table. Fortunately the fire alarm sounded and summoned the fire department.   While they were waiting for them to arrive, Delia ran into the kitchen, grabbed a fire extinguisher and tossed it to Francisco.   She was terrified he would die right then and there.  If not for her quick thinking he very likely would have perished in the fire.

Fortunately, the worst that happened was the expense of replacing the furnishings and the mess that was leftover.  Francisco and Delia worked together to clean it up while the oldest boys, Darius and Daniel, both totally oblivious, bonded over video games.   Delia had no idea loving someone could be so stress inducing.  She wanted to keep her family safe and it seems everything she was doing was putting them in harm’s way; the basement, the potions and now the fire.  She must be more careful and cautious.  She would never forgive herself if anything happened to any of her ‘men’.   

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Chapter 12 - Family Time

The summer festival was going on so they decided to go on a family outing with the boys before the new baby arrived.  It would be a great time for bonding for Francisco and Daniel.

The first thing that caught Daniel's eye was the Hot Dog Eating Contest. When he saw this he challenged his Dad to beat him.  Hot Dogs were his absolute most favorite meal of all time!

Francisco preferred steak, but how could he refuse his oldest son when he issues a clear challenge?  He laughingly agreed thinking Daniel would get about two down and quit. The two of them entered the contest with several other contestants.

Daniel wasted no time and started shoving the hot dogs down as fast as he could - determined he was going to win.  It turned out that Francisco was the one that couldn't hang!  In the end Daniel was the clear winner.   He was stoked the rest of the day because he just beat his Dad.





They all ate snow cones to cool off and get rid of the hot dog taste! Then to work off some of those calories, Francisco taught Daniel to roller skate.  Delia held little Darius and everyone came up and cooed over his unusually green eyes!


And then, it happened.  The worst thing Delia could think of.   The woman from the Elixir store showed up. Delia scooped up Darius and started to walk in the other direction when she saw Francisco starting to make his way over to them. Delia was frightened that the woman would say something to Francisco and was terrified. When the woman saw Francisco coming, she ran – or rather practically disappeared in a flash. Delia had never seen anyone move so fast. She was pretty sure Francisco never even saw her. Thank goodness a potential disaster was diverted and she told Francisco it was time to go home.

Once safely home Delia put Darius to bed after a little game of tickle monster.   Then she joined Daniel and Francisco for a little video game fun determined to show them she could keep up with the boys.  After 'one more game pleaaaase' it was definitely time for Daniel to get to bed, he was exhausted. Francisco, not willing to have the day end, took a book in and read a bedtime story to his oldest boy. They definitely bonded today like no other time.  It was a perfect end to an perfect day in spite of the ‘creepy woman’ that threatened to ruin it.

The next morning things were still perfect.  Delia was happy, the boys were happy and so was Francisco.  She worked in the garden and even took time to sneak off to the Elixir store.  She wanted to see if any new recipes books had been consigned and drop off the fresh produce she had just harvested.  

When the clerk saw her she called her over to let her know she had a special recipe book that she was holding just for her.  The recipe for the Fountain of Youth!  It took all of her profits to buy it, but she quickly stuffed it in her bag along with a couple of new mushroom types and left in a rush. Delia thought her heart would burst out of her chest she was so nervous. 

When Delia got home she was exhausted both mentally and physically. She quickly made dinner and then started getting the boys ready for bed when she went into labor. 

Francisco quickly called a sitter for the boys. This time he was not as nervous as before. However, poor Daniel didn’t understand and was quite upset. Francisco calmed him down and as soon as the sitter arrived, they took off for the hospital.   

A few hours later, after what had been a more stressful pregnancy, Delia and Francisco left the hospital with another baby boy they named Duncan. She and Francisco loved little Duncan as much as the other two boys and had no idea how this was even possible.  The "D" names were definitely to honor Delia.





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Chapter 11 - Birthday Time for the Boys

The construction was finished just in time for the boy’s birthdays.  Before Francisco left for work she told him to be sure to get home early for their party.   It would just be the four of them.   They had been so busy with the construction there was no time to plan a formal party. 

All that day Delia was sick again and couldn’t stay out of the bathroom.  She was so sick she never even changed out of her Pajama’s. She did manage to make cakes for both boys in between trips to the bathroom.  When Francisco got home she met him at the door to explain that she was sick. She feared she might be pregnant again or perhaps it was just a virus, but in her heart she knew.  Time of course would reveal all.

Delia helped both children blow out their candles.  First up was baby Darius.  He will be walking and talking before long. He inherited his grandmother’s amazing green eyes.  It pained Delia to see them, but she was happy for it.     

Next is was Daniel's turn.  He is growing into a handsome young man and will no doubt be a heart-breaker with his Dad’s looks.   He is getting SO big!  He will be starting school soon.   

Darius

Daniel

The next morning Delia broke down and got a pregnancy test.  She was right; their home may need another renovation.  She was indeed pregnant.  Perhaps this time it will be a girl.  That would be nice.  However, being surrounded by men that spoil her isn’t too bad either!

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Chapter 10 - Expansion

When Delia got home from the Consignment Store, she saw Francisco sitting in the middle of nursery helping Daniel with his words while Darius napped.  She was warmed by it but still very anxious. When Francisco saw Delia he gave her a kiss and then told her he had been thinking. They needed to expand the house or buy a bigger one. This house was already getting cramped.

Delia panicked and yelled at Francisco, the sweet moment from before gone. They couldn’t move. This was their house! Why change it? It was good enough for her and her mother.  Actually, she was terrified. The basement would be discovered. And if Francisco started work on an expansion, surly he would find the basement.  She had to come up with a plan – and fast!  

She took a deep breath and calmed herself. Then she apologized for over-reacting. She told Francisco that since he worked so hard and late every day that she would manage the expansion.   He didn’t need to worry about it.  To her delight, he actually seemed relieved not to have to deal with the construction given his very demanding job.  Crisis averted – for now.   Delia apologized again, the very best way she knew how; in the bedroom. 

The next month she worked on the house expansion.  She enlarged the kitchen and added a bathroom to the master bedroom. She struggled with the bookcase.  She had to make sure the workers didn’t realize what it was. Somehow she pulled it off.  It put a crimp in their already tight budget but it was worth it.  And she did have to admit it was much nicer now that the house was a bit larger.  

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Chapter 9 - Seeing is Believing

Delia had a couple of potions and some produce to consign so she hired a sitter for the boys and went to the Elixir store.  They had recently received a couple of new rare potions; Bottled Vampires Bite and Fountain of Youth. The clerks told Delia if she could learn these and bring them in, she could get wealthy. Delia had read every potion recipe book she could find, but the Fountain of Youth, she was sure, wasn’t among them although the vampire one was. That one was difficult to make so she had never made it.  The clerk offered to sell it to her so she could try it and gave her a small discount on both potions. She then encouraged Delia to try the Youth potion on herself. Somehow the clerk knew Delia wasn’t a true believer in her own potions and needed to convince her if she wanted Delia to continue to make them.  

So Delia figured, what could it hurt?  I might just get a little wet.  So Delia splashed the Youth Potion on herself and indeed at first she just felt – well wet.   Then, strange things began to happen and she felt all sparkly and warm inside and then the feeling subsided.  It was a nice feeling, but she was sure it was just the warmth that came over her that made her feel nice, nothing more.  She still wasn’t convinced there was anything to these silly potions.   

The clerk knew this did nothing to make her believe so she said to go ahead and throw the Vampire’s Bite on that customer over there.  Then, you will know.  Delia was apprehensive and not so sure the woman wanted to get warm and fuzzy, but to prove to herself there was nothing to these potions, she obliged. 

She threw the potion on the unsuspecting customer.  The potion sparked when it hit her and a red cloud appeared around the customer.

Then she actually had a transformation right before Delia’s eyes.   

The woman’s eyes began to glow and her skin actually changed colors from a nice rosy pink to an ashen shade of gray.  

Then when she began to talk to Delia – she had fangs!   Had she had actually become a creature of the night?  Delia was frightened and afraid she might attack her, but instead, the woman seemed to think it was quite cool.  Now she would live forever she told Delia and showed off her new fangs!  

 

Delia nearly passed out – her mother was right about one thing.  There were other worldly creatures and beings.  Delia wondered why her mom didn’t use the Fountain of Youth potion if it really worked but then there wasn’t a recipe for that in the basement – she had read them all so maybe her mother didn’t know it existed. 

Francisco and the children must never find out about this!!!!!   She vowed she would never go into the basement again.  No matter how much money it would bring.  But, then, all of the potions weren’t bad.  No, she decided, she must find and learn all of the potion recipes so she could control it – whatever it was.  But how can she do this?  The clerk told her the fortune tellers might help as they deal in the supernatural sometimes. She also told Delia she occasionally got recipe books consigned so check back often.

Delia left in a panic.  This could destroy her marriage and she could lose her children. No, that won’t happen. She loved those two sweet boys and her hard-working hunk of a husband.  She would allow nothing to hurt them or take them away from her.  A secret it would remain.

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