The Perfect Family

Alexia and Rose

     The day finally came, we welcomed two beautiful girls, Alexia and Rose. A traditional English name and a traditional American name. It was probably the happiest day of my life. When the girls were first born though, Lily only gave slight attention to Alexia. It was to the point where the nurses had to force her to feed Rose. When the nurses took the twins for a checkup the day after the girls were born, I sat by Lilys bedside and grabbed her hand. She pulled away her hand and, with a cold gaze said, "What?" I was taken aback, but I continued to say, "are you ok? I heard the nurses talking and they said you were refusing to feed rose. Is it too painful to feed them both? They don't have to be breast fed they can be bottle fed." She let out a sigh and said, "I don't mind breast feeding Alexia, but the other one is too much." I was dumb founded by her response, but I didn't want to push her. When we arrived home her mother immediately grabbed Alexia out of Lilys hands. Not even glancing towards Rose's direction. I carried Rose to the nursery, which is being shared with my mother-in-law, and laid her down as she was already taking a nap.  I then headed to the kitchen where I found Lily sitting at the table. "How are you doing?" I asked Lily. She looked up at me with an annoyed face. "I'm fine baby", she responded with a sly smile, as if she was faking it. "Ok I just want you to know if it gets to be too much and you need to talk to someone I'm right here" I tried to say reassuringly with the brightest smile I could offer. "Okay." She said as he got up from the table and left to go attend to Alexia. 

Over the next two weeks I was swamped at work. We were working for a big client and had a suddenly shortened deadline to meet. This meant that I worked from 5-8 on a good day and still often had to bring work home. I finally got a day off since I had taken it off a month in advance because it was a pediatric checkup for the girls. "Well, everything seems great with Alexia. She could probably gain a few pounds and to be on her back less, but except for that, she seems to be doing well" I had a sigh of relief. I was nervous something drastic would be wrong. "But Rose is a different story. She is severely malnourished, her growth is stunted, and her head is flat from laying on her back for too long." What? Why is Alexia perfectly healthy, but Rose isn't. "Who exactly is at home?" The doctor asks. "Well, I work all day and often come home late at night, I spend what time I can with them though. My wife Lily and her mother stay at home and take care of them." The doctor turns towards Lily. "Well? Is there an issue at home with Rose? Is she being difficult or having behavioral issues?" My wife looks up and says, "Yes. Shes a retched and exhausting child. I can't deal with her, and it takes double the amount of time to feed her because she won't latch to the bottle." The doctor looks up with a concerned face. "Youree bottle feeding Rose and breastfeeding Alexia?" "Yes, what's the problem. I don't want them both gnawing on me." "Well ok then. I recommend getting Rose a baby helmet to fix the head shape and please, feed her more. If she's still underweight on the next visit, I will have to get the authorities involved. Maybe switch them if it's too much to take them both at the same time." "Ok. Thanks doctor." On our way home I asked Lily if she was neglecting Rose on purpose. She denied and said she was hurt by the accusation, but then why as she not getting fed and why was she always on her back? There's two people there. Although, my company met the deadline, and i was finally back to my 9-5. I started feeding Rose, who seemed to have no problem with the bottle and was a happy, smiley baby. By the next check- up Rose got up to normal weight, she was still small for her size, but at least she weighed a healthy amount. I also got her fitted to her helmet and she was wearing it. Over the years Lily became more and more distance. She didn't want to go on dates or be intimate anymore. She simply took care of Alexia, conversed with her mother, and knitted while watching TV. 

As Alexia and Rose matured and began showing distinct features, it was clear that Alexia took after me and Rose took after her mother. Two twins couldn't look more different. I and 6'7 with black curly hair and green eyes. I also tan very easily. Lily was 5'3 and had light, almost blonde, brown straight hair with brown eyes. She was also pale and rarely tanned. Lily had soft nose and small lips while I had a strong nose with a heavy top and bottom lip. Alexia was the spitting image of me. She had long black curly hair with green eyes and a strong nose with soft lips. Rose on the other hand had slightly darker brown hair with hazel eyes and a soft nose and small lips. Alexia had a darker complexion like me, while Rose had a pale complexion like Lily. After they developed their specific features, I basically took care of both of them after they turned 8. After their 9th birthday I started coming home late again since I was up for a promotion, and I was being pushed. Which was forcing Lily to be their sole provider. Her mother started coming around more often to help out. Eventually, I started coming home to my daughters laying on the couch hungry waiting for daddy to come home because mommy said she wasn't going to feed them. I tried having a talk with Lily to find out why I started seeing such a sight weekly. She said they were being dramatic and that she wasn't letting them snack all day. I understood to a certain level, but I made enough to let them snack a healthy amount and that was some real dedicated acting for them, to fight sleeping on the couch because they were so hungry. I suggested getting a nanny so that she and her mother could rest more. Lily didn't like that idea because she thought the nanny would judge her as not being a fit mother. Eventually I gave up on it and started putting food where the girls could reach it so they could eat when they liked. Both of them had fast metabolisms and I bought healthy food so there was no harm in it. Take the load off Lily to meet their every demand. This would be the end of my little girls and wife's suffering.