The Bloomer Legacy: 3.25 When the Cat’s Away

Author’s note: Today’s chapter will be narrated by the lovely Yenn, because I’m dying to get inside of her head!

As soon as my brother Booker turned into a teen, my parents headed off into the big unknown with my aunt Erica and uncle Daniel. Apparently we have two other aunts, twins in fact, who had to leave Newcrest years ago. It had something to do with my biological mother’s criminal conspiracy. Of course it would.

In any case, mom and dad are going to visit them for a few days, so we’re on our own.

Peter: “Chell, we’re counting on you! We’ll be back before you guys know it.”

Lilah: “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

My brother inherited the active trait from our mom, and now aspires to be the body builder. He won’t shut up about wanting to build a neighbourhood gym.

He seems to be really eager to be the heir, and that’s ok with me and Chell. There are so many different things my sister and I want to explore, and becoming the heir would just tie us down. It’s all on Booker now.

Each of us dealt with our newfound freedom differently. Chell is exactly the same in our parents’ absence, ever so responsible, with her biggest act of rebellion being drawing up equations way past midnight.

I ended up getting a tattoo of dark angel wings on my back. I know very little about my biological father, but I know that my biological mother’s name, Cassiel, is the name of one of the archangels in some religions. From the pieces I’ve put together, I know she’s been far from an angel. So the tattoo seems fitting.

As for Booker, his way of reacting to being left unsupervised was…

Booker: “Let’s have a party!”

My stomach immediately tied into an uncomfortable knot. People? In my house? This needs to be averted immediately!

Yenn: “Who would you even invite? We barely know any people our age…”

Booker: “Well there’s always your boyfriends!”

Great. Just great.

Chell: “I think it’s a great idea! We can invite all of the Agustins and their partners. That way we can claim we had adult supervision.”

So it is happening. Sigh.

Pearl: “This is so hilarious! We could fall into the pool any minute!”

Audrey: “Say what now?”

I do have to admit that seeing Chell attempting to dance might just be worth all this.

Might. I can’t believe these two came.

Sawyer: “I swear Yenn is my girlfriend! Look at all these texts I sent her!”

Tate: “Dude, it looks like she didn’t reply to a single one of them. You’re delusional. She’s obviously my girlfriend.”

Sawyer: “Oh really? Has she replied to any of YOUR texts?”

Tate: “Err…”

Remington: “Yenn! I’m here! And look at my hat… Do you like cowboys?”

This is my worst nightmare.

I snuck away whilst the guys were fighting over me… They’re so out of touch with reality.

I found just the perfect spot – in the hot tub next to sleeping Pearl. My kind of socialising!

Sadly it didn’t last. Pearl woke up and called everyone over to dance right by the hot tub. Another escape is in order.

I sought refuge on the edge of the pool, but I still couldn’t enjoy my solitude. As soon as I sat down, I was joined by a guy with a man bun, and, to make matters worse…

Remington: “Hi babe! Check out my milk, it makes me look like I’m drinking juice!”

Desperate, I turned to the stranger on my right: “Please help me!”

Ethan: “Hey bro, I hear the bartender is pretty chill as far as pouring juice to teenagers goes…”

Remington: “No way! I’ll be right back babe!”

Thank the plumbob.

I guess this means I should interact with the guy in the man bun.

Yenn: “Oh, I know who you are! You’re the guy from the Agustin speed date that is looking for a soulmate and all that nonsense!”

Ethan: “I usually go by Ethan. And a simple thank you would have sufficed.”

Yenn: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I genuinely was just trying to place you. I’m not the best in social settings.”

Ethan: “You don’t say! Well, there’s nothing wrong with looking for the person to spend the rest of your life with. That’s what brought me to Newcrest.”

Yenn: “And yet, I don’t see you being married to one of the Agustins! In fact, didn’t Amelia marry that, err, unusual looking guy?”

Ethan: “Looks aren’t everything! Amelia and Kaylan are perfect for each other. And he’s a great guy!”

Yenn: “I don’t know, isn’t he the one that’s standing in the bushes and smelling an empty plate?”

Ethan: “I didn’t say he was conventional…”

Yenn: “I just think that it seems a bit silly to try to find yourself through someone else. Are you so unhappy on your own that you need a partner to define you?”

Ethan: “No, I’ve already found myself. You kid, have a lot of growing up to do, but I know exactly who I am. And I’m in a place in my life where I’d like to share it with someone. It’s that simple.”

Ethan: “Anyway, it’s been… somewhat pleasant to meet you. Looks like the party is over now so I’ll be taking off!”

I know so much more about life than man bun guy! The older is so not the wiser!

Chell, being Chell, jumped on the cleaning vagon immediately. You could barely tell we had a party in the house!

But Booker was so happy. Maybe it was all good for something…

Remington: “Babe! Here you are! Everyone’s gone now, you want a bit of a private dance?”

Never mind.

The one to spend the rest of your life with. It sounds nice in books. From a Fatal Weenie Roast to the Love of a Lifetime (and beyond) is one of my favourite books, and it happens to be about my grandparents.

But I bet their romance wasn’t as epic as mom made it sound in the book. This love story business is only good for fiction.