The Astor/Rosensteel Household

"ELROY, CAN YOU COME UP HERE PLEASE?" Serenity shouted from upstairs. "THE SHOWER WATER'S FREEZING!"

"Yeah, I better getting back. Besides, your wife is calling you. But, thank you Elroy! Good luck!" and she off walking back down the road.

He shouted up the stairs, "TURN THE HEAT UP! Back to Rachel. "Oh, nice talking to you..."

Serenity came down in a towel, hair soaked and shivering. "Who was that? Anyways-- the shower is freezing. I've put it on every heat setting, it's just not working."

"That isn't my problem," Elroy said with a shrug.

"Of course." Serenity mumbled. She had heard that quite a lot over the years.

~

Up in her room, Dianna was listening to music, dancing and doodling over a notebook.

Dianna snuck back into her house after she had given up on Anthony- the wimp hadn't gone- and turned the music off, unlocked her door, then went to bed. She had a large stuffed rabbit next to her, and she gave it a tight hug, going to sleep like that.

The afternoon the next day, Rachel came over to Serenity's house, because she had invited her over for tea. Rachel smiled contentedly. In a way, it was nice to have your kids grow up and be more independent. They learn to take care of themselves, but it was sad as well...

"RACHEL!" Came a shout from Serenity, with Dianna still looking morose and sullen dragged behind her. "There you are. Come on in." Serenity led her into the living room and sent Dianna to go make tea. "We have a slight problem, before we get to chatting."

"Oh?" Rachel raised her eyebrows as she followed Serenity. "What happened?"

"It's about Anthony. And Dianna. She snuck out last night," Serenity said in hushed tones while Dianna was preoccupied was making tea. "I'm pretty sure she went to your house. If she's sneaking out past the time I told her to stay inside by, it's a problem!"

"What?!" Rachel looked angry, and she turned to Dianna. "Did Anthony sneak out with you also?!" she asked very sharply.

Dianna nearly dropped the tea, but served it anyways. "He didn't sneak out with me, Mrs. Sawyer. Apparently his brother sleeps lightly." She seemed awfully grumpy.
"Don't use that tone with Rachel, Dianna!"

Rachel looked relieved, but her expression turned into the I'm-About-To-Lecture-You-Mom-Look at Dianna.

"Dianna, you shouldn't have sneaked out like. You could have been hurt, or kidnapped!"

"Mrs. Sawyer, we live in the country, and it's not that far to your house." Dianna grumbled, sitting down on the couch. "We were just going to go to the carnival!"

"But that's not even in town!" Rachel exclaimed. "Dianna, did you realize that it was five miles away from the outskirts of town? It would have taken you two all night to get there."

Dianna mumbled something about her horse, but didn't say much else.
"What was that?"
"I was going to take Martin."
"You were going to ride your horse to the carnival with Anthony?!"
"But Mum--"
"You could've gotten killed! What if Martin made a jump and you both died!? You are irresponsible and I can't trust you! I'm getting a window lock immediately and for the next week you'll be locked in your room at nine sharp. You are GROUNDED! I'm seriously questioning letting you go to Hogwarts! GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Dianna started crying and ran upstairs.

"...That was harsh." she mumbled, but Rachel turned back Serenity. "She's starting Hogwarts this year? So are Emily and Victor..."

"No, she's going next year, Adam's going this year. But she's still excited about it.. That girl never misbehaves! What's gotten into her?

"Oh." Rachel nodded. "I understand. Emily is the same way, and Victor isn't very excited too. But, maybe it's just different for boys?"

"I don't know. Is the tea okay? I taught her how just last week. Rachel, I have a question. How do you get to know all of your children?"

"Get to know them?" Rachel looked thoughtful, and sipped her tea. "I always set aside time to talk to them individually, that's very important. During the summers, the children rotate throughout the week helping me cook-we have a lot of people in the house, so it's really hard for one person. And, of course, when the older ones go to Hogwarts, I can really get to know the younger ones." She looked at her curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just worried that this silly sneaking out might be the result of me not paying enough attention to Dianna and Adam.."

"Well... do you think you give enough attention to Adam and Dianna? Or maybe you're smothering them. It's hard to find a balance between the two."

"Gosh, there's a balance?! This is so difficult.." Serenity buried her head in her hands.