Closed The Winds of Change

[Tessa Whitlock]

Tessa should have seen this coming. Twila should know this was coming. Really, why was Tess even surprised? With baby Tate swaddled in her arm, she approached the door. "Does everyone have their bags? Tullia, Tanith, keep a hand on the boys," She asked her sisters, shifting her nearly overflowing backpack on her shoulders and the diaper bag in her hand. She would need to find work as soon as she could. "Girls, do you remember Twila?" She asked, knowing the boys would be too young to remember the departure of their elder sister.

Tessa was still silently seething, but she had to hold it together. She was praying Twila wouldn't run from them again. Tessa needed her sisters help. She kept her calm demeanor on, reaching out to straighten one of the twins hair. "Remember, everyone, we have to stick together now. We're family." She tried to reassure her siblings, not sure which, if any, of them had truly grasped what was happening.

 

[Tanith Whitlock]

Tanith didn't know what was going on. They'd all packed their bags with nothing more than a few clothes. She held tightly to her bear, reaching out a hand to try and grasp Tiernan and ending up with no more than the straps on his backpack. "Tessy where are we? I wanna go home," She told her sister, trying to keep close to her baby brother.

 

[Turlough Whitlock]

Turlough was chewing on his fist, waddling after his siblings. He was babbling softly, whining when something kept him in place. He dropped to sit, still chewing on his hand while his other hand grabbed for his foot.

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

The straps on Tullia's backpack where hurting her shoulders, she had a lot in it, having grabbed probably one too many books than she needed, but she wasn't ever going to pack up her things without taking them with her. She didn't really know what was happening, but knew if her brother were still here he would've told her. Tullia was next to Turlough and adjusted her backpack before opening her arms to him. "You want up Tury?" she asked, the young boy looked exhausted and she didn't particularly want him just sitting on the ground. ​

 

[Tiernan Whitlock]

There were so many cool things in this place. Tiernan could absolutely see a good rock not too far away that he wanted. he tried to go for it but was held back by someone grabbing his backpack. he glanced round to them, Tan, he pointed to the rock. "Want," he declared still trying to go for it. ​

 

[Jordan Harris]

{insert cursing here}

 

[Tessa Whitlock]

Tessa looked between the children, biting back a sigh. They were all so young. They wouldn't understand this. She rocked Tate gently in her arms and reached out, knocking on the door. "Just- please, guys, know that I'm right here. I'll take care of us, it's okay," She promised. She just prayed Twila would help her.

 

[Tanith Whitlock]

Tanith didn't like her sisters answer, but she was distracted by Tiernan. She sighed, walking closer to the rock so he could grab it. "Okay, have the rock," she told him, nodding her approval.

 

[Turlough Whitlock]

Turlough looked up as his sister spoke, and pushed up onto his feet, stumbling over to her with his own arms raised. "Up up," He echoed, curling his fists in little grabby hands at the older girl.

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tullia glanced down at her young brother and then lifted him into her young arms. He was heavy but not too heavy for her. She shifted him to her hip as she had seen her older siblings do. She gave him a little smile. "You good Tury?" she asked him quietly, not sure if he would actually reply to her coherently.

 

[Tiernan Whitlock]

Tiernan was very distracted by the rock, he didn't know why they were there. he was tired and he just wanted the rock. He giggled a little as Tanny took him closer to the rock and he was able to grab it. He turned it over in his hands as if it were made of gold.

 

[Twila Whitlock]

Twila was surprised to hear the knock on the door. She hadn't been expecting any company. Maybe Ricky was coming by to surprise her? But that didn't make sense, he didn't knock. Setting aside her weekly planner, Twila hopped up and walked to the door, opening it curiously. She was surprised to see her siblings gathered outside her door. Brow furrowed, Twila stepped out. "Tess?" She asked, looking over the others. Why were they all here? Without their parents? Automatically, Twila reached out, taking baby Tate from Tessa and rocking him gently. She held open an arm, hugging her little sister tightly a moment. As Tessa stepped back, Twila glanced over everyone again. "Come on in, guys, I've got a big couch," She promised, stepping back and holding the door for everyone. "First door on the left. We can settle in and I'll get us all snacks."

 

[Tessa Whitlock]

Tessa felt a flood of relief when Twila opened the door, handing over Tate with no fuss and hugging her sister tightly. She turned, trying to usher everyone in. "Come on, guys, we're going in," She waited until they'd gotten everyone in before taking the lead and walking them into the living room. Twila hadn't been lying- there was a huge, plush looking couch, with a lot of throw pillows. It looked like a sectional, in the shape of an L with a large, matching ottoman next to one end of it. Once she was sure all the kids were settled, she looked over them. "Okay, guys, who wants snacks?"

 

[Tanith Whitlock]

Tanith watched as their eldest sister appeared. She remembered Twila, and she smiled shyly, waving. As they were told to go inside, she did her best to pull Tiernan along with her. "Come on, you, let's go," She took his hand, and once they were inside she tried to lead him to the couch. "Do you want up?" She asked him.

 

[Turlough Whitlock]

Turlough played with Tullia's hair, cooing happily. "Up," He gave her a large toothy smile.

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tullia was glad they weren't too long on Twila's doorstep. There was nothing good about being outside. She carried Turlough into the house and had hoped to put him down, but his touch on her was tight so she kept him in her arms and then sat down. She didn't want a snack, well she did, but she just wanted to sit and not have to worry. "Are we living here now?" she asked looking between her eldest sisters.

 

[Tiernan Whitlock]

Tiernan just let Tanny pull him in as he held the stone in his hand. He looked at the couch and then crawled up on to it himself, with a little difficulty but just about managed it. He made himself comfortable, fidgeting until it was good and then continued to look the stone over in his hand.

 

[Twila Whitlock]

While Twila was used to the chaos that was her siblings, she was startled by her younger sisters words. She looked to Tessa, trying to keep her face even. "Do you need to?" She countered instead, trying her best to look steady. What on earth had happened?

 

[Tessa Whitlock]

Tessa looked to Twila, and nodded subtly. "Yes," She offered simply, willing to explain everything once they were out of earshot of all the kids. She turned to her younger siblings. "Come on guys, who wants to watch a movie?" She asked, motioning to the tv. "Just settle in, we'll put in a show and get some snacks and me and Twi will talk a bit, okay?" She offered, hoping to placate the crew of kids.

 

[Tanith Whitlock]

Tanith sat close to Teirnan, letting him settle and watching him turn over the rock. She tried to focus on him, not wanting to show the others how scared she felt. "Is that a pretty rock, Tierry?" She asked, keeping a close eye on her brother and just hoping that it would all be over soon.

 

[Turlough Whitlock]

Turlough snuggled into Tulia, yawning. "Move!" He declared happily, crawling out of his sisters lap and towards his older sisters. "Move, move, move!" He giggled, clapping his hands.

 

[Tullia Whitlock]

Tuilla wanted to be a part of the conversation that she knew her elder sisters were going to have, but she wasn't going to be able to. Not with Turlough in her arms and they would say that she was too young for it. She just nodded to Turlough, "Movie," she corrected. But she hoped that it wouldn't be too loud, she wanted to hear what they said.

 

[Tiernan Whitlock]

Tiernan smiled at Tanny. "Very pretty rock Tanny," he told her. He was distracted by Turlough's chanting, and joined in. "Movie! Movie!" he wanted to watch something too, that would be good fun. Movies were fun! Even if they could sometimes be just too long.

 

[Twila Whitlock]

Twila's eyes widened. They needed what? She helped Tessa get some snacks whipped up, throwing something together before going back to the living room, throwing in something animated before pulling her sister back just into the kitchen and turning to her. "Okay, now you, please tell me what's going on," She asked, holding onto Tessa's hands.

 

[Tessa Whitlock]

Tessa helped her sister get the others settled, ruffling one of the twins hair before following her sister into the kitchen. When Twila took her hands, Tessa's eyes teared up. "They're gone," She told Twila, taking a long, shaky breath. "They left a note. They just... packed their bags and left. They aren't coming back." She shook her head, the tears falling more freely. "They left two months ago. I didn't know what else to do," She confided, rubbing a hand over her cheeks. "I got their passports, I researched moving. We can stay if you want, or you can go back with us, but gods, please, Twila," She looked up to her sister with wide, fearful eyes. "Please, you have to help me, I'm so scared," She begged, voice breaking.