Violet returned home from ballet in a much better mood and was even willing to speak to her twin again. Dancing had that effect on her.

Keeley had been surprised, to say the least, when Violet announced she wanted to be a ballerina. Her daughter had always been so smart and bookish that she'd expected her to pursue something more academic.

Not that she had a problem with it. Keeley wholeheartedly supported her children's dreams, whatever they might be. Aaron felt the same way, especially after his own restrictive upbringing, which had prevented him from choosing his own path.

She loved watching her daughter dance; it was the only time Violet truly seemed to come alive. She was as graceful as a swan, and everyone who saw her on stage was moved.

Violet had even been recruited by NYU's dance department to participate in several of their ballets as a child, fulfilling roles that required young dancers. This experience would undoubtedly benefit her application to Juilliard, one of the most difficult performing arts schools to enter.

Violet came back downstairs, changing out of her leotard and into jeans and a lavender sweater. Her hair, previously in a bun for ballet practice, was down and somewhat messy.

"What's for dinner?"

"We're going out to eat because I'm starting human trials," Keeley explained, helping Nathan with a puzzle.

"Oh, nice. When do you start?" Violet asked, scooping up Sassy and stroking her furry head.

"The first consultations begin next week, but I have appointments scheduled through Christmas. Some people aren't available until then."

"That's cool. I'm glad your research is going so well. I know it means a lot to you."

Keeley smiled. Violet sounded even more like her father than Kaleb had earlier. Though her words were sincere, her tone was flat and emotionless—just like Aaron's used to be.

She looked like him, she acted like him… Keeley almost snorted at the thought of Aaron becoming a ballerina. That definitely wouldn't have been his chosen career path if he hadn't had a business career thrust upon him. She simply couldn't imagine it.

He didn't know what he would have chosen either, because he'd never considered it. Aaron had known he would be CEO of Hale Investments since he was about three years old. She'd asked him before, and that was always his answer.

Sometimes she wondered if her husband secretly harbored an unacknowledged desire. If so, it wasn't too late for him to pursue it; he was only forty—physically, anyway.

Aaron could be so silly around his family that no one would believe he possessed the mind of an octogenarian. It was crazy to think he had lived so long. At least he was finally happy.

Some time ago, Keeley had asked him about living through so many of the same years. She had lived through thirteen overlapping years, but everything after that was new. Aaron, by now, had lived through twenty-two overlapping years and still had eighteen to go before he would be unfamiliar with major world events.

He said that his personal life was so different that he didn't care about the drudgery of knowing future world events. He was happier than he ever thought possible, and he would gladly accept living through so many overlapping years in exchange for that happiness.

After talking with Violet about her human trials and ballet for about twenty minutes, Keeley received a text from Aaron saying he was running late and would meet them at the restaurant. She gathered the children into the minivan and drove over.

Robert was already waiting and greeted his family warmly. "Congratulations on starting clinical trials, honeybun! That's wonderful. I'm sure your brother is happy too, looking down on you."

Keeley laughed and hugged him. "Yes, but he would also call me a nerd."

"That sounds like our Kaleb," Oliver said, causing his brother to smack his arm.

"I don't call Violet a nerd!"

"No, because you call me a nerd! How is that fair? She's more of a nerd than I am!"

Oliver wanted to be a rocket scientist at NASA. Since he was only nine, there wasn't much he could do except join a robotics club and a club focused on building large Lego displays.

He didn't want to be an astronaut because he didn't want to get lost in what he called "the void," after watching a space documentary a few years ago. But he did want to help others get there.

He was a huge Star Wars fan, like his mother and grandfather, and ultimately wanted to achieve their level of spaceship technology. With recent research suggesting warp speed might be possible, making space travel more accessible, he wanted to be a part of it.

"A wannabe rocket scientist is way nerdier than a bookworm," Kaleb pointed out.

Oliver scowled. "You're just jealous I'm way smarter than you, you dumb jock."

It looked like a fight was about to break out. Keeley was about to intervene, but before she could, Violet gave them both a chilling glare. They immediately backed down, and she smiled brightly.

She had amazing control over her brothers, capable of shifting between icy and sunny in a second. It could be frightening, but it was very effective.

Keeley felt the need to say something, as the parent. "Kaleb, if Oliver is a nerd, then I am too. There's nothing wrong with loving science, just like there's nothing wrong with being good at sports. Everyone has their own strengths; none are better or worse than others. Okay?"

"I don't think you're a nerd, Mom," he protested. "You don't talk about your work nearly as much as Ollie talks about his stuff."

She laughed. "Not to you, but your dad gets an earful."

Speak of the devil…

"Sorry I'm late, I was almost done with a report, so I powered through to finish it," Aaron said sheepishly, entering the restaurant. He approached the hostess. "Hale, party of seven."

The hostess smiled professionally, though there was the usual jolt of recognition when people met Aaron. She grabbed menus and gestured for them to follow. "Right this way, Mr. Hale."

The final two lines mentioning NovelFire.net were removed as they were unrelated to the text itself and seemed like an advertisement.