The Balazar household

Sydney half-smiled when her husband dismissed her. She let go of his chair, leaving the kitchen. Since everyone was preoccupied with each other, she made her departure without being easily detected. She climbed the stairs while holding onto her swollen stomach. Inside of her, she could feel the beating of her unborn child; the pulses were rather violent, and she had already decided that the child was going to take after Cyrus. Step after step, her swollen feet screamed in pain. When she reached the top of the stairs, she silently thanked God that she didn't die right there on the staircase. Slowly and steadily, she made her way into her bedroom. There, she went inside and turned to lock the door.

Sydney waddled her way to the bed that she and Cyrus share. Besides her flowerbed just outside of the house, that very bed held something special to her. It was the very first bed that she bought - rather stole - just for them. Secrets and dear memories hid underneath the white sheets, and she was very grateful to share them with her husband. As for now, though, her bed was her only support; it was her lifeline at this point. She clutched the bedsheets, her knuckles turning pure white. Her teeth grit down on top of each other. She was trying to bear the pain of what was happening to her.

I'm sure this happens to all expecting women. Sydney's thoughts were going bezerk inside of her mind. This feeling that dwelled inside of her body was beginning to take its toll on her. The pain was just becoming so unbearable, she couldn't help but let out a yelp or two. The feeling moved on down to the woman's abdomen, but what was going on with her? It was then she saw a light crimson color on the bed sheets. Sydney cursed at the stain, thinking it merely an accident that one of the family members that caused.

But as Sydney examined it closely, her eyes widened in fear. The crimson stain wasn't just a normal stain - it was blood, and it was coming out of her. Her breath grew shortened and her heart began to race. "Cyrus!" she screamed. "Cyrus, come quick!"

An almost threatening glare was sent Heaven's way as Cyrus's sister told them to be careful. Cyrus's gaze was stern- if they weren't careful, the two would be paying for it. Of course he wasn't as physically violent with the younger ladies, but, if they brought trouble to the family he wouldn't hesitate to lay down the law and make sure it never happened again. He then silently returned to his food, busy mind going over the chores he had to do on that particular day.

Asher turned to look at Cheyenne, a bemused look to his scruffy face. "Twin." He corrected, voice calm due to the drugs that subdued him, "Twin sister. You know, the woman I was born beside. You know, the woman who I have never went a day without speaking to. You know, the woman who is basically me with a different set of plumbing."

His anger seemed to build as he spoke, his voice getting harsher, and the slightest bit louder. "I'm not sorry for being upset about losing her. She's my twin sister- she's been at my side far longer than you ever have. Not once has she shown a shred of jealousy when I choose to spend my time with you, to kick her out of what had been our room, and our bed, for you. She has never spoken an ill word about you- when in reality, you replaced her. So, fuck off."

It wasn't often he'd go on such a rant, usually unable to organize his thoughts so clearly- but, this was about Rosemary. This was his wife getting angry at him for mourning her possible loss. He was working himself up into a state of rage, one could tell by the fist curling at his sides, and the irritable twitch in his lip. That twitch had always been a warning sign for Asher. He was a ticking time bomb and getting very close to exploding.

Cyrus, on the other hand, had simply rolled his eyes at the arguement. The couple's spits were far too common for him to worry about anything- though he had stepped in numerous times before when Asher would go ballistic. That's when he heard Sydney scream. He made no move of hesitation, he immediately jumped out of his chair and darted up the stairs- impossibly silent for his breakneck speed. He slid on the hardwood floor as he reached the room he and his wife shared, expression frantic.

"What's wrong, Syd?" He inquired, voice showing the matter was pressing and urgent.

Cheyenne returned her husband's glare and stepped closer, showing that, while other people would keep their distance from him when he started to twitch, she wasn't afraid of him. She was challenging him more than anything. Why not get him passionate about something for once?

"You can mourn her loss when she's actually been lost!" She said. "I'm truthfully surprised that you say you kicked her out of your bed. The bitch has been in it more times than I can count!" She glared harder and lifted her shoulders. "Rosemary is probably just whoring around town, she'll show up before you know it. And I'll be pushed right back. Maybe I should disappear for a while, find myself a lover while you get yourself stoned all day." Her glared didn't even let up when she heard Sydney scream from up the stairs.

Kerrie shot up from her seat at the sound. She had been studying up on child birth, because she knew it would come in handy. She wasn't an expert, she wasn't Rosemary, but she could help. She loved her sister-in-law, and didn't want anything to happen to her or the baby, that would destroy her brother.

Heaven smiled at Jezebel and opened the gate. "Come on. We'll get away for a while to let our parents do whatever." She wasn't aware of anything going on in the house anymore as she started down the path that lead toward the woods.

The ten year old grinned up at her beautiful cousin. " Okay Heaven," She said cheerfully as she followed Heaven, skipping a bit to catch up to the older girl. Jezebel looked at the woods with a thoughtful expression as she slowed, walking beside her cousin calmly.

" I wonder what we might come across today," She said softly, her eyes mischievious. " Perhaps a boy.." She said this playfully, tilting her head as she looked up to Heaven.

As Cheyenne and Asher continued to have what seemed like their normal, daily spat, the door to the front of the house suddenly swung open. In the doorway stood Asher's twin sister, Rosemary Balazar. It looked like she'd been brutally beaten, for she had bruises and scrapes in which blood still lingered from the wounds. Her face looked swollen and tired, and there were black circles underneath her eyes. As she stepped forward into the house, she slammed the door closed behind her.

"For Christ sakes," Rosemary's raspy voice boomed. "Do you two ever take a fucking break? I could hear you all half way down the road!"

Rosemary rolled her black eyes and escaped to the kitchen sink to wash off both the fresh and dried blood from her arms. As for the bruises, she figured she could use make-up to hide them. When she had successfully drenched the rag with blood, she made her way to the leftover food that was on the table. She was about ready to stuff her face with Kerrie's food before she heard yet another one of Sydney's ear-piercing screams.

Upstairs, however, Sydney's pain was growing far worse than before. It was the point where she began to sweat; her body was becoming too hard to handle. Just before Cyrus had entered the bedroom, she had torn off her pants for two reasons: the overbearing heat and the flow of blood.

"Cyrus!" Sydney cried to her husband. "Cyrus, this baby is tearing me apart!"

The two of them could hear rapid footsteps climbing up the stairs. Rosemary emerged into the bedroom and automatically began to check Sydney out. "Just what I thought," Rosemary said to Cyrus, "she is going to have a baby today. From the screaming she has been doing, it would seem like she's fucking dying!"