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Siblings- family drama

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To Chris Ace was still the baby sister she was used to carrying around on her hip all over the house in her teens. So she swatted Ace on the back of her head as soon as she made the wisecrack about Matt's wife leaving him "Ace, behave!" she said in her strict schoolmatron voice. As Matt got up and left, she looked at Jaxx and mouthed "2 mins" before following Matt out to the foyer.
"Mattie, don't leave like this, come on Ace is just a kid, she doesnt know any better" she put her hand on his arm and turned him around. The pain in his eyes, his sullen face broke something within and Chris felt tears prick her eyes. She put her arms around him and kissed his forehead. "oh mattie, my poor, sweet Mattie, I am here for you, you know that right?" she said.
As she saw Matt out she was disappointed to see Jaxx casually telling her he had s**t to do and leave. She wanted him to rally round with him, perhaps spend a few minutes talking to Matt brother to brother but clearly this was not to be. Chris wiped her eyes, smiled at him and went back to her sisters.

Siblings- family drama

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"Mags, sweetie, father made a specific condition that the money needs to be transferred each month. That means I will be delinquent in my duties as a trustee for failing to make transfers to anyone except my own. If you wish to invest or something once it is in your account, do let me know. ok enough about money- Ace: really, you could have got that young man down for breakfast instead of chasing him out like this, we have an extra chair and i made some extra pancakes you know" Chris dropped the bomb that she had seen Ace's lover sneak out this morning.

Siblings- family drama

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Chris had anticipated this and in fact Terry too had warned her about not imposing on Matt about the money. So she nodded calmly and said " I am afraid i can't not transfer your money to your account Mattie (I think Chris continuing to call him by childhood name is consistent with her character, what do you say?) since as a trustee to the account it is my duty to do so every month. About my share, understood. Just know it is there if you need it" she said and asked Mags "how's the pancakes Mags? more coffee perhaps?" she worked the room like this, pulling Ace by her sleeve from the countertop and making her seat next to her at the table, kissing her hair mainly because Chris knew Ace thought these signs of affections meant Chris still treated her like a baby. Jaxx was being his usual strong and silent type. She patted his shoulder and said "hey, everything alright Jackie?" she knew Jaxx too didnt care to be called Jackie the way she used to when he was small but on ocassions like these the nostalgia was too great for her to resist.

Siblings- family drama

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This kind of bickering was nothing new to Chris and like an experienced mother, she didn't even bother to get into them. Sometimes the siblings needed to take it out on each other and that was all there was to it. Though she was disappointed that everyone had shown up so grumpy and unkempt for the breakfast when she herself had been working since 5.30 in the morning as always. But being the eldest often meant putting up with these kind of things.

"ok, the reason i called you all here" she thought she could take a jab before proceeding "apart from seeing by beautiful sisters and handsome brothers all suited up and ready to go out of course, was to have the quarterly review of the trust fund" she said and looked at everyone. Their father, Jonathan Hill, wasn't exactly a wealthy man but he had been frugal all his life and managed to build a small fund that he had left children that allowed them to take out a certain sum every month. It was not large, but certainly enough to make sure they could eat. For now, Chris was managing the fund on everyone's behalf.

Chris started her laptop and punched in some keys until she brought up the trust fund account " I am making the monthly transfers to your accounts later today. As of today the balance on this fund is _____" she said and then paused for a minute before continuing "I am not making a withdrawal for myself this month, as i didn't last month. Mattie, we know you are putting stuff together a bit, so if you need a little extra this month, you can get it from my share" then lest there be misunderstanding she spoke on " reason i told this in front of everyone is all of us need to remember Mattie doesn't need our pity but he needs our love, we five have to look out for each other, ok?" she looked each one of them in the eye as she spoke.

Siblings- family drama

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(a correction - you guys live in the parental house while this breakfast is happening at my place which is across the road from yours)

Chris needed less than a second's worth of look before knowing what Ace had been upto. She had learnt to be circumspect about pushing the teenager on issues like dating and sex so she decided to not make a comment for now. She caught Jaxx's shake of head and Ace's subsequent look and when her eyes met with Jaxx's she shared a rueful smile.

"it is about giving you something to help you absorb all the alcohol you took last night sweetie, god nobody light a match here, phew!" she said as she settled the siblings down. She tried Mags number once more and again got her answering machine.

"god the way i got to call ya kids just to have you'll eat some breakfast" she mock-exhaled as she put dishes before Jaxx and Ace and poured them coffee. She was happy to see Matt was working on his pancakes, slowly and thoughtfully "more pancakes Mattie?" she asked and put a couple more in his dish before finally sitting down at her chair and took a good swig of her strong coffee. God she loved to see them all like this- different, in their own ways self absorbed but her siblings, her kids !