#cara gray

[coriel-muroz]

Household 19 - Leondre celebrates his birthday

Just like for Fatima, Leondre celebrated his birthday at home, quietly with his family.

"When you are a little older, we'll throw you a big party, okay buddy. It's time for you to be a child and go to school!"

"School? Do I wanna go to school?"

"Maybe not, but you will make lots of friends and learn a lot. It won't be so bad."

Leondre grew up into a handsome boy. He seems to take after his dad in terms of his fashion sense.

With renovations complete, he got his own room with a race car theme.

"I'm big now and I'm going to go to school. But you still have to stay at home."

"No!!" Cried Fatima, who didn't like to be alone.

"Don't worry. I will still play with you every day." And Leondre played peekaboo with his sister, making her laugh.

"Leondre! It's getting late. You're old enough now to muck out the pig sty."

"Try not to make too much of mess," Cara asked the pigs. "Leondre!"

"Coming, Mom."

Huntsville Revived #529

[coriel-muroz]

Household 19 - Michael and Cara spend time with Leondre

Michael had some time before the bomb Genevive dropped on him would transform his life, if he proved to be Michelle'a father. His kids were his priority.

How would little Leondre take to being a younger brother, as well as an older one?

"Do you want to play with your blocks, or do you want a story?" Cara asked.

"Blocks an' story!" Leondre replied.

So Cara put him down where he could play and got out her book. He was so absorbed, he wasn't paying attention to the words she was saying.

That allowed her to read her own book, a medical text that would help advance her career, out loud. He just liked to hear his mama's voice.

Leondre wasn't quite old enough to help with the pigs, not yet, but he really liked them.

"Dada's just going to make sure the pig house is clean. Try not to get too messy," Michael said as he put his son down.

"Piggies! I wanna play with piggies."

"Okay buddy. Come on over."

He was growing up fast. Luckily both he and his sister were good sleepers, allowing them to share the nursery.

That gave Mama and Dada a little time to spend together.

Huntsville Revived #525

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #447

While Mary Anne’s third marriage was not going much better, or worse, than her previous two, Cory and Christy’s family were celebrating.

“Well, son, it’s time for your birthday!” Cory announced as he held Ash, “Are you ready?”

Whether he was ready or not, it was time.

Ash became a toddler in style, as expected. After all, his father put a lot of importance on appearance for himself and everyone around him.

Christy, unfortunately, could not join in the celebration. She was already in labour.

“Cory? Cory!!!” she called, “The baby is coming.”

Cory came running. Cara, who had been supporting Christy while Cory was with Ash, switched places. She would take care of the toddler while husband and wife celebrated the birth of their next child.

Unsurprisingly, the child was a son. Cory’s fourth and Christy’s second, they named him Logan. He was also adorable and well dressed.

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #444

Christy awoke the next day feeling more rested than she had in some time. The little one in her belly had actually let her sleep for once. As had her older baby, who was sleeping through the night. A clear sign he was ready for toddlerhood.

She was tempted to wake Cory, to spend the morning with him. But he had gotten in late, she knew, so she did not disturb him. 

Instead, she ate breakfast alone. She didn’t much like doing so and resolved to invite Cara over the next day to avoid it.

When Cory did eventually get up, he only had time for a swim before he had to head out for auditions, and then a performance that night. Christy wished he could be home a bit more.

“Cara!” Christy embraced her friend.

“Christy, how are you? You look tired,” Cara looked at her with concern.

“I didn’t sleep well again last night. Ash woke up, fussing, and then this little one just would not stop moving.” Christy allowed herself to complain to her best friend.

“I do not miss being pregnant,” Cara laughed.

“These pancakes are delicious,” Cara said, “And enriched with all the right nutrients too. Glad you are taking care of yourself.”

“It helps when my best friend is in the medical profession and gives me all kinds of advice,” Christy teased back.

“That’s what community is for, to take care of each other.”

“Speaking of, Michael and I didn’t manage to get tickets for Cory’s latest show. Sold out! That’s good news, right?” Cara was well aware that Cory had been struggling to find work lately, and all because he rightly was concerned with the safety of everyone with so many Aliens about.

“It’s a fairly small theatre, and a very short run.” Christy was not convinced the play would be helpful to Cory’s career.

“It’s a very strange play, anyway. I don’t know if you and Michael would have liked it anyway, or if it will lead to new roles.” Christy was a bit concerned. Cory made significantly more than she did, and if that income dried up, they would be in trouble.

“Well, I will continue to tell everyone I know that he is a terrific actor, and I would pay good money to see him in any performance. The next one, Michael and I will go to opening night, and post about it all over social media, don’t you worry.”

“Thank you, Cara.” She was so glad she had such a good friend.

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #123

Spring - Day 1-3, Household 19: Michael & Cara; Leondre Miller.

Michael Miller is a Romance/Pleasure Seeker. He is 45 years old, owns his own business - the Weight Room, Nickelton’s only gym, and has been married for 3.5 years.

Michael truly cares about his wife, Cara, and adores their son, Leondre. He knows that both would be absolutely broken hearted to discover that he is not faithful to Cara. Not at all faithful to Cara. So hopefully she will never find out.

Cara Miller is a talented medical professional. She works very hard, and appreciates that her husband’s schedule can be pretty flexible as he owns his own business. 

Sometimes she works long hours and he is at home with their son, and other times he is out later than expected while she is. They still find time for each other.

A 32-year old Knowledge Sim, Cara’s interest in medicine started early. Raised on a pig farm, the life cycle of animals led to an interest in that of humans. She does still like raising pigs, so she insisted she and Michael have a few on their property.

At 3 years old, Leondre is most interested in picking his nose and playing in the mud with the pigs. 

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #127

Michael had come home early from the Weight Room for once, and was delighted to find that Cara had prepared a delicious meal.

He dug right in, barely glancing at his wife, as he devoured her excellent cooking. Working out, even for a man as fit as Michael, was hungry work.

Cara - Michael, let’s play a game, shall we?

Michael - A game? Sure, what kind of game?

Cara - One where you try to guess what’s different about me.

Those words were definitely a trap. Michael felt panic in the back of his throat. Her hair was the same as that morning, she was wearing her favourite jewelry. There was nothing obviously different in her make up, and he was very good at noticing subtle differences about a woman.

Then he looked down.

Michael - Cara! Why didn’t you tell me? You’re pregnant!

Cara - Yes, darling. Leondre will soon have a little brother or sister.

Michael - Hello in there. I’m your Daddy. You’ve got the best, most wonderful Mommy in the world. And an awesome big brother. You are going to have a great life.

Cara - I haven’t had a chance to go check on the pigs. Do you mind?

Michael went out and discovered that both of their sows were also pregnant.

Cara didn’t love that she was pregnant at the same time as the pigs - it didn’t help her body image as she grew quite large to accommodate the growing life.

Michael assured her that she was far more attractive than their gorgeous pigs, which went over about as well as you’d expect.

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #126

For two people as independent and driven as Michael and Cara, Leondre was still their world.

He was absolutely adorable, even when screaming his head off to be let out of his crib.

Or as he was chewing on his toys with his tiny teeth.

Cara was quite delighted when she relazed she was pregnant again, and Leondre would soon have a younger brother or sister.

Meanwhile, at the Weight Room, Michael ran into an old friend, Genevive.

Michael - Of all the gyms in all the world, Genevive Lawson walks into mine.

Genevive - It’s the only gym in Nickelton. It wasn’t hard to find. And it’s still Genevive Hunt; I wanted to keep the same name as my kids.

Michael - How are they doing? Have you heard?

The scandal at Desert Tech was gossip to many, but for those involved it was terribly painful. Edward and Genevive had been married young, had children immediately, and had failed in both areas while somehow not failing out of university. Bribing their way out of bad grades had been easier than fixing a marriage plagued by cheating on both sides, but they might have recovered from that if Christian and Michelle Hunt hadn’t suffered heat exhaustion in the student housing that lacked air conditioning and been taken away by a social worker.

Genevive - I talk to Christian on the phone about once a week, but Michelle is still too little.

Michael - If’ there’s anything I can do, please let me know.

Genevive - I will.

Except the one thing Michael could have done, which was to marry Genevive, wasn’t possible now that he was married to someone else. With a husband, she stood a better chance of getting the kids back than alone. And she would have even been willing to get a paternity test done - she strongly suspected Michelle was Michael’s daughter, not Edwards, and admitting that possibility would be worth the drama if she got her children back.

Michael gave Genevive a big hug. She smelled absolutely wonderful. She obviously hadn’t started working out yet. Not that he minded the lovely, natural smell of a woman’s sweat.

Michael - Enjoy this work out on the house. And come by anytime. 

Genevive - Thank you.

Michael - You look very hot in that leotard.

Genevive - You old flirt. You are tempting me, Michael Miller, but an affair is not going to help me get Christian and Michelle home.

Michael - Fair point. If that ever changes, you have my number.

Genevive rolled her eyes, but was truly tempted. Instead, she got on a treadmill and worked out her frustrations.

[coriel-muroz]

Huntsville Revived #125

Cara and Michael had gotten married because they got pregnant with little Leondre. Cara had worried that Michael, who had clearly enjoyed being a bachelor, would think she was trying to baby-trap him. The thought had never even crossed Michael’s mind.

His aunt Rosemarie had tried to baby-trap his father; the result had been that Greg Miller had stopped seeing Rosemarie, but kept the two boys - one who was his (Jeremy) and one who was not (Geoff). Rosemarie had been satisfied with the result.

Michael wanted to be there for his son. While Geoff had adored his mother, and Jeremy had found a mother replacement in Arianna (Charlotte, Liz & Michael’s mother*), Michael knew that had all worked out quite fortuitously and would never have risked his son not having committed and present parents.

*Actually, Rosemarie is Michael’s mother, with Fred Foxman, but Michael doesn’t know that. In fact, no one alive is aware that Greg and Arianna Miller aren’t his parents and that Liz is not his twin. But that’s a story for another day.*

While Michael had no intention of losing his family, he also had no intention of stopping his extra curricular activities.

And he was not very subtle about them either.

He met woman at the Weight Room, often enjoying a woohoo in the sauna.

He also enjoyed having them at the house, when Cara wasn’t around.

Some fun singing on the kareoke machine.

And some romance on the front lawn, where anyone walking by could see.

But so far, Cara had not caught him. And he hoped she never did.

It wasn’t that Cara wasn’t enough for him, exactly. She was plenty of woman and plenty interested in woohoo.

Just, as much as he enjoyed his wife and knew he would never tire of her company, he also didn’t consider stopping woohooing other woman as an option.