Tyler's P.O.V



Dad built the family a new servo.
"Isn't she just amazing!?" Dad would shout. She was helpful, though. Mom was old and her bones just couldn't handle the every-day tasks anymore. Dad was aging but was always tired, gone, or just didn't feel like it. Us kids really couldn't help out because we were always so wrapped up in our studies or out with friends.
We named the new servo Mulan. Well. . . Alice named her. Isn't that a movie?



I think we all knew what was happening to dad.
After he retired, he just seemed to stop caring. He stopped caring about his kids, his health, and his wife. In simple terms, he didn't give jack-squat anymore. Considering we started to see him less, we stopped doing family activities. Mother found comfort in eating, sleeping and sitting on the terrace with Alegra. Other than a few other changes among the household, everyone continued on with their normal lives.
Most of us suspected dad to be cheating. It never occured to us with who, though. We had no idea whether our mother knew this or not, but she never questioned Tom about his disappearing acts. Life continued on.

"Sir, she's got a serious case of lung parenchyma." the doctor explained.
"Pardon me?" Dad questioned. We all knew what was coming.
"Pneumonia. Keep her well rested. If it doesn't subside soon, the result could be grim at her age."
"Tom," mom whispered as the doctor left the room, "I love you." She smiled. Dad nodded and turned to leave. I could have sworn I saw the glitter of a tear trickle down his cheek as he left.

Mulan took good care of Melinda. It seemed as though she was regaining her strength; but it all ended a week and a half later. I guess her immune system couldn't take it anymore. She was so thin, pale. . . sick. Now she's dead.



How could something so simple be so complicated?
Two months after Melinda's death Tom proposed to our servo, Mulan. A week later, they were officially married. In a sense, I was disappointed in my dad. He ignored the whole family while our mother was dying. Yet I didn't exactly hate him. He was becoming more invovled again. Maybe he thought that he made a mistake in marrying Melinda, and all he was doing now was trying to regain a life he didn't get a chance at. But as I look at the old photo album of the pictures of them together, he looked so happy. . . what had changed him so suddenly?

"Dear, I know your children mean the world to you but. . ."
"But you want your own children?" Dad answered. He knew what he had to do.



They searched for months upon months.
It was hard to find a baby as young as they did. Mulan wanted to adopt a child of her own, but she also wanted to be there for her child all the way. She needed a newborn.
They found a seventeen year old girl who was eight months pregnant. She wanted the best for her child, but she couldn't give the baby that life. Allie, the mother of the girl, couldn't support the child. Allie wanted to finish her homeschooling and attend a college. She needed a couple who could take her baby girl into their family and love and care for her. Giving the child the support she needed and deserved.

But she was delivered a little too early. Almost two weeks after father and Mulan had found Allie, the baby was born. A preemie. We were worried she would have many complications, but only a few showed up. The doctors told dad that there was nothing to worry about. They needed to keep little Makayla in the hospital for a week or two to make sure her vital organs have no problems developing correctly, but other than that, she was fine. We could take her home soon.
As the days flew past of constant visits to the hospital, we were finally able to take Makayla home. Mulan was estactic.

I realised I would soon be out on my own. I was nineteen, afterall. I decided to skip college. I would be holding a child of my own. Have a house. A wife. An actual life.