Round Eight - Bhalli - Another Addition

Solveig hadn't meant to get pregnant again, but sometimes life throws you curve-balls. At least Jace was happy about it - more than happy, he was over the moon. Solveig tried not to worry. It wasn't as if the hospital was going anywhere, and she had a long life ahead of her.


Plus, Victoria could do with a sibling. She was already getting a bit spoiled with all the attention. Solveig had never met a more cantankerous toddler and was pretty sure that the pre-K set shouldn't have moodswings from temper tantrums to playing and giggling within the space of twenty minutes. That was her job!


Some men might have been a bit squeamish about "getting intimate" with their increasingly heavily pregnant wife, but Jace wasn't one of them. Whenever Solveig's hormones got the better of her and she wanted some fun, he was there for her. The second pregnancy was a little less stressful than the first, she realised. She didn't have morning sickness and she wasn't so tired and hungry all the time, which meant she could use her maternity leave for other activities...


Victoria started school shortly before the new baby was born. She was a bit of a tomboy, insisting on getting all her pretty hair cut off and running around in ratty old jeans. She was a bit worried about the impending arrival of a rival for her parents' affections but she tried not to worry too much. Secretly she was kind of looking forward to having someone to tease... the kids at school weren't too fond of her tormenting ways!


Jace had figured out her plans, though.

"I hear you've been getting into a bit of trouble at school. You should be trying to make friends! You're a wonderful girl and I know you can make a lot of friends."

"I don't want to. They're all boring, all the girls wanna do is read or play with dolls and icky stuff like that, and the boys don't like it when I beat them at computer games."

Jace sighed. "Well, you'll have a baby brother or sister to make friends with soon," he said pointedly. "No teasing!"

Victoria went into school in a heavy cloud of sulking.


Caroline Bhalli was born soon after. She was a very pretty child and shared her sister's colouring, except she had Jace's father's eyes. Victoria found herself being a bit more enthusiastic than she thought she'd be but soon got bored. Babies didn't do anything but sleep and cry, and toddlers probably weren't much better... Caroline would only be any fun once she was a bit older.


Solveig went straight back to work - she was a fully qualified doctor now and she was needed by people other than her family. Coming back every night and seeing sweet little Caroline made it all worthwhile.


Caroline soon became a toddler. She was very different to her big sister, much less rambunctious and more fond of hugs. She even let her parents put her in a dress, but they didn't hold out much hope for her staying all that girly. She was already more fond of blocks than dolls, after all. They had a tinkerer on their hands!


Note: Another one that doesn't have either of the Bhalli skin-tones! Nooo! I guess Solveig and Jace will have to try again later. Not now, though, that many kids running around gets annoying...