Old Endings and New Beginnings

Welcome back to the Greene Household. Last you saw this peaceful home you saw how we were all growing.

Oh, how rude of me not to introduce myself! I'm Zaria Greene and this is my photo album.

Aww, this is one of my favorite pictures! Wasn't I just darling? Hmm, pay attention to the guy in the background. He just might show up later on in my photo album!

Me, all grown up. I hit a heckuva growth spurt when I hit my teenage years. Thank goodness I didn't grow much more. As you can see, I still favor the flame. Think of it as homage to my mother's profession. When I hit the teenage years I had to acknowledge all the fears I had suppressed in my life. Turns out I'm a bit of a coward and still don't want to face those fears.

I know my mother really wants Zacharias and I to grow up to be doctors and I do love a good logic puzzle. I just prefer to stare up into the stars and dream sometimes.

I love this picture of my mom. I don't think she ever really grew up. I sometimes feel like I'm the mom in this household. Uh-oh getting too close to one of my fears. Let's change the page and look at the next picture.

Geez, my brother, Zacharias, is such a geek. I swear...the whole argyle thing was enough to drive me mad. Hmm, maybe I have a fear of argyle?

Study, study, study. I hate the dark but it's the only place in the house that Zacharias would hang out with me. Despite our differences we are quite good friends. This is the last picture I have of Zacharias while he lived with us. Shortly after turning eighteen, he took off to live on his own. He and Mother never did get along well.

My mother had a photo taken of her at a bad emergency. Turns out it was her 30th victim saved this year. Amazing! They gave her an award and everything. She said it was the most fulfilling thing that had ever happened to her. Imagine how that made me and Zach feel. Oh well, I always knew the job came first. She does love us...in her own way.

Oh geez...I love this picture! My mom's first gray hair. She was terrified!

Only a few weeks later. I guess she had a reason to be afraid. Old age takes us all by surprise, I suppose. Not that I will ever grow old.

Speaking of growing older... this is my birthday. I'm finally turning eighteen. I'm afraid I have a secret my mother isn't going to like though.

Yes, my secret. I was in love with Nikolas, the maid. My mother was horrified. There is a bit of a break in pictures because for awhile neither of us wished to take pictures of the other. Even though he was much older than me, having attended my 13th birthday party, there was just something so charming and debonair about him.

During this period of adjustment between my mother and I there was something else I discovered about myself. I liked to steal things. I don't know if it's the challenge or what but I am fighting to overcome this disease. Every time I steal something I always return it. Always. I swear.

Except my wedding dress. No, no! Just joking. I didn't steal my wedding dress. Isn't it gorgeous though? Mom finally decided to let me live my own life. Even though, according to her, I was making the biggest mistake in my life.

A close- up. I was so blissfully happy. And gorgeous.

My mom didn't look too bad either. She actually dressed up and did a credible impersonation of mother of the bride.

I say impersonation because she really didn't want me to marry Nikolas. At least she cleans up well. By this time, Mom had retired. Firefighting is a young profession.

I love this! We were so happy. I couldn't stop smiling through the whole ceremony.

Shortly after we married I found out I was pregnant! Ok, ok, so I think I was beforehand but don't tell Mom. She might just kill Niko. We were doing fairly well. I was working at the local hospital doing paperwork for organ donors, Niko had started some mysterious job at a local warehouse, and we had Mom's pension from the city. So we moved! Isn't it the most lovely house?!

And so begins the end. I had this picture given to me by a private investigator. I include it in my album because it is a lesson learned. I'm not just angry at him, but at her. I mean, come on...want to see shooting stars? Puh-leeze!

Yes, it was the same line he used on me.

Same investigator. Same day. I caught them together. He didn't even try to deny it. Nikolas was just completely blase about the whole thing. Claiming that flirting wasn't any reason to be mad at him and his mother in law. GROSS!

I told him exactly what I thought of his philosophy. I kicked him out. I couldn't bring myself to kick out Mom. Considering that I had a newborn son, Yancy, to care for, a full time job at the hospital, and the fact is, she had warned me about Niko.

Goodbye, Niko. Don't even think about asking for alimony.

And so ends one part of our saga. Now to see if young Yancy can grow up well in such a splintered household and if I can be successful in my medical career.