• Bridget was in a horrid mood, and wanted to let everyone know about it. “Really! Can you believe the nerve of some people! She just gets me to spend hours and hours sweating over the labor for her benefit and then what does she do?” She howled to no-one in particular. Although there was no response asking what ‘she’ did, Bridget decided to continue her rant anyway. “She takes her baby and she kicks me out abruptly! Oh, she may have raved at me about how she needed time alone, and how she was at her wits end, but there’s no excuse for rudeness, I say!”

    While she spun around the kitchen yelling, she was watched quietly by her younger brother, Aaron, from his seat by the window. It was a curious thing, he mused, how Bridget, a fickle and vindictive woman by nature, had ended up working as a midwife in the first place. It was certainly through no maternal instinct, since Bridget hated children. In fact, it seemed like she was purely in the business for the money, which astounded Aaron, since he was sure a woman like Bridget could come up with a more lucrative line of business that would also be more suitable to her talents.

    He left his musings as he began to notice that Bridget seemed to be cooling down. She was no longer yelling or stomping, but was now leaning on the counter, glaring in his general direction, as if daring him to say something to set her off again. Deciding that you really only lived once, Aaron spoke to her. “Bridget, do you really think she’d have wanted a nasty b***h getting in the way and yelling after the labor was over?” he said.

    As he watched Bridget ranting and raving about the kitchen again, Aaron privately wondered at how easy it was to drive Bridget crazy. She was very much like their father in that regard, among others, and Aaron personally thought her fat build and bland, square face served her right for her malicious personality.

    Although the Agency had told him they were direct siblings, Aaron felt that he and Bridget didn’t look anything alike. Aaron was willowy, with a round, flat face, and green-grey eyes. They both had brown hair, but Bridget’s was more auburn shaded, and her eyes were out and out green. Despite this, they were often assumed to be siblings by people who couldn’t have known.

    While sitting there, a bit of Bridget’s yells penetrated Aaron’s thoughts. “And there you are, just sitting there like an idiot, in MY kitchen, in MY house, living off of MY money, and you don’t do a damned thing! You’re not in school, so the least you could do is get a job, but oh no, not Aaron! He’d much rather sit on his lazy butt and grow fat!” She bawled. “Hypocrite.” Aaron murmured.

    “What was that?” Bridget snapped suddenly. “You’re a hypocrite.” Aaron said calmly. “You accuse me of being fat and lazy, but let’s not forget that the circus called this morning and accused me of kidnapping the fat lady.” Aaron mentally winced, and wished he could have come up with something better, but this somehow seemed to have its intended effect on Bridget.

    For a moment, Bridget just stood in front of Aaron shaking silently. Then, he swiftly raised her hand. Aaron flinched and closed his eyes tightly.

    After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Aaron decided that he wasn’t going to be hit, and looked up. Bridget was leaning on the wall by the phone, her back more or less to him. “Bridget?” Aaron said.

    Whether or not Bridget was about to respond, Aaron didn’t find out as the phone ringed just as she pushed away from the wall. Bridget shuffled over a few inches and answered it. Aaron could hear muffled talking from the other end of the phone, and in a few moments Bridget was writing down information on the notepad on the counter, while ignoring Aaron completely. “All right, all right, I’ll be over right away, just stay calm.” She said. She then hung up the phone.

    “I’ve got to leave right now but I’ll probably be back soon, so don’t you dare do anything while I’m out or else. Stuff’s written over on the pad, now be quiet and stay out of my way while I gather up my stuff.” Bridget said.

    As he watched Bridget leaving, the words flew out of Aaron’s mouth without thinking. “Bye, Bridget. Enjoy your day.”