The Cooke Legacy: Chapter Twenty – The Reaper’s List

A joint legacy between ilovereecee & meadowthayer

This is me, Hannah Cooke, and my oldest child Issac. Issac is the sweetheart of my four children. He really enjoys spending time with myself and his siblings. I have always thought this is partly because he grew up without a father figure in his life. The maid Adrian and I had Issac out of wedlock and never wed. Marriage just isn’t my thing as a romance inspirational person and all.

I like to think that not having a father around didn’t screw up my son too much though. Issac is very caring towards all three of his younger siblings. He especially looks after his twin sisters, Irelyn and Isadora. It’s a great help to me while raising twin toddlers! Issac does most of the entertaining for his baby sisters, so I can focus on work.

Of course Issac is not the only one who takes care of the younger children. Ever since I had my first child, my parents have pitched in with diaper changes and feedings. Raising children has always been a team effort in this house! Irelyn and Isadora, my twin daughters, are lucky enough to have a mom, two grandparents and two older brothers to dote and love on them!

Irelyn and Isadora’s birthday was soon the next event on the kitchen’s calendar. I can’t believe my babies are going to be going to school with their older brothers and making new friends. It seems just like yesterday I was surprised with their birth (I didn’t know I was having twins)!

Irelyn, my oldest daughter, looks so much like me it’s amazing. She’s a sweetheart too with a personality of 1.4.10.10.9. Very nice and playful!

Isadora looks a lot like her brothers, which is miraculous because Irelyn and Isadora have different fathers than Issac and Ishmael. Isadora’s personality is 2.9.4.10.10.

Everyone in the house is doing very well. Even the family pets are spoiled and pampered. Now that the twins are school aged, my parents Grant and Jenna no longer have so much on their plates. Now they can pay more attention to Max, Cupcake, Pansy and Fat Boy (all the dogs in the house).

Things in the house haven’t been this quiet since before I got pregnant with my oldest child Issac. Now Issac is a teenager and he is studying for his entrance exams to college. He is a great help when it comes to his younger siblings. I especially appreciate how much of a good role model Issac is for his younger brother Ishmael. Before I know it both of my boys will be teenagers!

All was going well in the house and my children were all about to be accepted into the private education program when tragedy hit. I didn’t see it coming and it all happened so fast I didn’t even get a picture! My mother Jenna was claimed by the Grim Reaper while showing the private school headmaster around the home.

Needless to say, the headmaster left my family to grieve. My oldest son Issac took the news of his Grandma Jenna’s death the hardest. He was especially close to my mother. I’m devestated for my own loss, but I have to be strong for my family. I’m so very worried about my father. Ever since his wife died all he does is snooze in his father’s old lazy boy. Times are hard in my home right now!

I was thankful when my son Ishmael’s birthday came around again. The family definitely needed a break from the melancholy tone in the house. Ishmael aged wonderfully into a handsome teenager. He looks so much like his father – it’s almost creeping me out a little! My son is a romance/wealth aspiration combo. He may look like his father Jim, but that primary aspiration is all me! I hope Ishmael’s young adulthood is as wild and fun as mine was!

I was thankful when I looked out the kitchen window one day to see Irelyn, my oldest twin daughter, and my father Grant playing soccer together outside. It’s nice to see my father up and out of the armchair. I think his heart is starting to heal after the death of his wife and my mother Jenna.

I have been working since I moved back home with my parents after college. Four children and many, many years later I have finally reached the top of my career track. This has been my life long goal since I was a teenager. I’m finally a celebrity chef – and it feels good!!

Issac continues to be a terrific role model for his younger siblings. Irelyn loves spending time with her big brother and she even learns some skills along the way. My sweet daughter is best friends with everyone in the house and has a few friends at school too. I like to think she gets this from me – I was always popular in school as well.

Want to know if anyone else in my family is popular? My son Ishmael is definitely the male version of me in college! Except he isn’t even in college yet! Ishmael has a lot of little girlfriends that he brings home. I know he is living it up – I just hope he is being safe about things. I would like to see my son graduate college before he becomes a father!

Being old isn’t something I see a need to celebrate, so when my elder birthday rolled around I made sure the kids were all gone at school before I blew out my candles.

I think I still got it going on as an elder. I completely refuse to wear grandma clothes, so I let my hair done and put on some pink zebra print. I think I’m still smokin’!

My mother passed away during the Headmaster’s last visit, so of course the private school sent another representative the second time I called asking if I could get my children in the school. I was thankful for this because I’m determined to give my children the best education possible!

Looks like there are other plans already in place though. Just like last time, Grim Reaper came interrupting the headmaster’s tour of my home to claim a family member. This time he came for two though! After taking away my father Grant, Grimmy came back to take Max, one of the family dogs. The headmaster left my family to grieve yet again. This seems almost unreal to me.

The day after my father and Max passed I called my work and retired. Life seems so short to me and I would rather spend time at home with my four children and three remaining dogs than work fifty plus hours on some cooking show.

My children were dealing with their losses a little better than when my mother died. I think the first time you have to deal with a death in the family, it is going to be difficult. This time the children knew how to cope. I’m glad I have my children to keep me company or I’d be losing my mind.

Life marches on even after death. This time Irelyn and Isadora are aging into teenagers. If my white hair doesn’t tell my age, then all of my children being teenagers certainly will! I can’t believe my little girls are going to be teens now. Where as the time gone!?

Irelyn aged into a beautiful young girl. She looks so much like me! She rolled a Popularity primary aspiration (which is fitting because she is friends with everyone) and a secondary family aspiration.Isadora looks more like her mother Mona, and rolled a Romance/Knowledge aspiration. Both of my girls aged wonderfully!

The Grim Reaper might as well start renting a room from me soon! He frequents the house so often I’m starting to think he’s part of the family! This time Cupcake is the one to leave the Cooke house for good. I’m sad to see yet another family member go.

Retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. With all the children in school and only two dogs to care for, my days are pretty empty. I finally got the courage to clean out my parents old room and I moved in a flower arranging bench. Aren’t old ladies supposed to like flowers and stuff like this? I figure it’s about time I start acting my age.

Another person acting their age is my son Ishmael. He reminds me of my younger self time and time again! Ishmael has yet another girlfriend over in the house and she has introduced him to the bubble blower. I was never too much into bubble blowing myself, but I stay out of my son’s business. He’s only going to be young once after all.

It’s just about time for all of my babies to leave the nest and head off into the wonderful world of college! Isadora, secondary knowledge aspiration, tried so hard to max all of her skills before leaving. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t succeed. I know she’ll be fine though – she’s so smart and good looking. . . maybe she can get through college the same way I did ;)

The chapter ends here – I want to thank you for coming to read the twentieth chapter of The Cooke Legacy. I know it took me about forever and a day to release, but I have been very busy lately. Haleigh will have the family next and so you will see Issac, Ishmael, Irelyn and Isadora’s lives carried on through Haleigh’s game play! I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to seeing the family again soon with Haleigh’s college chapter