Chapter Twelve: Daily Life

 Narrated by Caroline Masterson

Just a couple of hours after we got home, it was time for Erytheia and Xanthe's first Scouts meeting. I knew they'd have a lot of fun earning badges and going on camping trips. They looked very smart in their uniforms. I hoped the badges wouldn't have to be sewn on, as I wasn't much good at needlework...

The weather that afternoon was lovely and warm, and I spent time outside with Artemis and Apollo. They too were growing up fast - Artemis in particular was very smart and inquisitive, always asking a lot of questions. Apollo was smart too of course, but seemed to have permanent ants in his pants and preferred running around (sometimes naked) to sitting down and looking at a book. 

Peter's gardening was going very well now that the plants were able to be outside, and he had an abundance of crops. There was only so much space in the fridge for them, and so he invested in a juice fizzing machine. It seemed like a pretty complicated contraption, and I hoped he knew what he was doing. 

On Saturday morning, I took Erytheia and Xanthe to the Festival of Youth in Mt Komorebi's Wakaba neighbourhood. The girls immediately headed over to the activity and potion tables, whilst I sat on a bench and soaked up the atmosphere. I really fancied taking the family on a skiing trip to the Yukimatsu slopes, but wanted to wait until Artemis and Apollo were older so that they could take part properly. 

A few hours later, we each bought an ice cream crepe, despite the slightly chilly weather.

"You having fun?" I asked.

"Yeah, although trying to find all the virtual voidcritters is tough," Xanthe said, biting into her chocolate crepe. "They could be anywhere and I don't know where to look."

"It's annoying that they only seem to be available during this festival. It'd be fun if we could go and find them whenever and wherever we wanted," Erytheia added. "Mmm, that strawberry crepe was amazing."

"What do you think about coming on holiday here?" I asked.
"Holiday? But there aren't any beaches!" Erytheia exclaimed.

"Holiday doesn't just mean beaches in the summer," I smiled. "People go on holiday in winter too. There's a ski resort over in Yukimatsu."

"Skiing sounds kinda dangerous," Xanthe said uncertainly. "Someone at school went skiing once and she broke her wrist."

"She was showing off," Erytheia said. "Going down a slope that was too advanced for her."

"I'm not saying we have to go," I said quickly, "I just thought it might be nice. There are plenty of bunny slopes for beginners. I know you're not the show-off type, Xanthe, you're very sensible."

Back at home, Erytheia started to host a meeting of her kids' club, and the place was soon very noisy! She seemed to have made good friends with the kid she'd met in Sulani, Alexander. I had also formed my own little club for meeting other Spellcasters, and both his parents were members. I kept meaning to hold a meeting, but hadn't got round to it yet; I didn't know what everyone did for a living, and Anastasia and Nicholas would have to arrange for a babysitter to look after Alexander's little sister Helen, who was younger than Artemis and Apollo. 

Another day, another acting role, this time in Of Tea and Treachery, which would be my first movie. I'd been a little shocked to see that I'd been given a wig that made me look like Judith Ward, but that was a minor problem. The bigger problem was that I'd been supposed to practise dramatic scenes, but hadn't managed to properly. The unfortunate result was a less than stellar shoot, and I left feeling a little deflated. If I wanted to keep my Rising Star status, I'd have to pull myself together and be more committed. 

That evening, I threw a Spooky Day party and invited Anastasia as a guest.

"It's lovely to meet you properly at last!" I said. 

"That should be me saying that," Anastasia smiled nervously. "After all, you're the famous one."
"It's always nice to meet a fan," I smiled. "I'm always grateful to them. Anyway, isn't it lovely that our children are friends?"
"It is," Anastasia said. "I probably wouldn't have met you otherwise."

"So how long have you lived in San Myshuno?"

"Not particularly long. We moved here fairly recently from Willow Creek. I've always felt like a city dweller at heart, though."

"It's definitely fun living here," I said. "There's always so much to do."

"Absolutely!" Anastasia grinned enthusiastically, before switching tack. "Maybe we could have a playdate, and your two little ones could meet my Helen. She's so outgoing and loves making new friends."
"What a good idea," I nodded. "Just tell me when you're both free and I'll plan something."

My acting fortunes didn't get any better when I failed an audition for Captain Sigma: Olympus Landing. Although I  tried to reassure myself that plenty of A-List stars had bad patches and roles they didn't get, it still made me a little nervous. I decided to build my fitness levels on the treadmill I had at home, and mulled things over as I looked at the city skyscrapers. Hopefully I was just going through a little blip and the next role would go well.