The Fall And Rise Of Brandon Olfonse
About the only thing Brandon had left was his pride, and he was finally going to do "the right things in the right order". He would work hard, get promoted, buy a house and then, when he could support them off his own back, win back the love of his life and his child.
Things were going well, he'd managed to scrape enough simoleans together to buy an end-of-terrace in the new estate and he had stopped job-hopping as he'd finally got back into big-business, albeit on the bottom rung of management ... but he knew the way to the top from here.
Then one day, while out jogging, Brandon took a different route and inadvertently ran past Siobhan's house - just as she was picking up the mail. They exchanged pleasantries, he expounded his resolutions to her, she listened to his altruistic spiel, and then pretty much ripped his tracksuit off him in the throes of passion on the pavement.
So much for his good intentions, he moved in that afternoon. Kiera moved out that evening, into his end-of-terrace, complaining about the endless noise!
A couple of days later, Brandon got a huge work bonus, Siobhan's sold her house and emptied her bank account, and they bought Surf Paradise.
A couple of days later Ciaran was born
Ciaran's Toddler Birthday
Ciaran Olfonse - heir apparent (although elder sis Keira may have something to say about that!)
And yes Brandon, you are a lucky man to have Siobhan for your wife - she's put up with a lot of .... from you, and is about to give you two more bundles of joy (after your last session in the hot-tub)
Followed closely by Aoife and Aidan
Aoife and Aidans' Toddler Birthday
Aoife got her mum's skin tone, and her dad's eyes and hair.
Aidan just got everything from his dad.
I do wonder if Siobhan is thinking "If these two don't behave, there is an 'out'"
At some point they must have gotten married - but no photos :(
A Typical Saturday
After an early morning swim together,
they built sandcastles,
while Mum continued writing her novel (a romantic fiction about a rebellious punk intern at a large corporation who had an affair and a child with the married VP ... but it all works out at the end).
Of course Dad's sandcastle was the biggest, so just had to be destroyed.
Then the kids dug for treasure - finding shells and sea-polished glass - which at that age is the best kind of treasure!
Dad prepared burgers for lunch,
after which the kids had an afternoon snooze.
And with them safely tucked up, Mum and Dad had some quality time in the hot-tub.
(Step away from that hot-tub - you two know what happened last time ... they're asleep upstairs!!!)
In the evening Mum and Dad assisted with Friday's homework (got to keep up those grades now they're at private school) and after some studying it was bed-time.
Another busy day tomorrow!
Brandon's Elder Party
With the kids on the beach, Siobhan made sure Brandon's special day started in a special way.
After the usual sandcastle building (again won by Brandon), and after a light brunch,
it was time to P A R T Y ! ! !
A simple family get together - Brandon, Aoife, Siobhan, Keira, Aidan, Patrick (Keira's husband) and Ciaran - started with Myshuno ...
... Keira desperately hoped that Patrick could control his competitive streak and let one of the children win, but it wasn't looking promising!
Watching his children blow bubbles together, Brandon considered that he was a very lucky man,
but what he really wanted was ... C A K E ! ! !
Well, at least the children found Patrick's comments about the "blinding light" and "needing a fire engine to extinguish that lot" funny
With the kids eating,
the adults gathered around the bubble blower to chinwag. Patrick decided that Keira's old man deserved the last of his "special bubble mix" from Uni, and his earlier "faux-pas" were quickly forgotten
With Keira and Patrick heading home to put their own children to bed, Brandon let his stay up late for a special end to his special day.
Retirment
Brandon and Siobhan are still at Surf Paradise, but with the kids at Uni they are rattling around and considering selling it. But with £85k in the bank, they may just buy one of the mews houses across the road and give Surf Paradise to one of the (younger) children.
Family Tree
