Your daddy never would, Anna. But yes, not screaming today is a good idea. When you get back from school we can go to the movies.

moooovviieeesssss

Oh poor Peter's head. You can play the quiet game just for daddy.

I love you, Anna!

quiet as mices!

i love you too deirdre!

Your daddy is a very good man.

I expect cuddles when you get home, Missy.

he is!

yay mummy cuddles!

She is not your mother, Anna.

Well hello there. You must be Johanna. I'm Aly, Anna's stepmother.

Anna is aware I am not her biological mother. You don't have to remind her of that. Anna can call me whatever she wants. Are you honestly going to deprive a child the security she gets by calling her maternal figure 'mummy'? As her cousin, you should be glad she feels secure and loved enough to do that. I certainly am.

That being said, if you have anything you'd like to discuss with me, please speak to me about it. Don't leave messages like this on my stepdaughter's journal. It's not fair to her, and she shouldn't have to see it.

You think you know everything but you don't.

I am very aware I don't know everything and I would never claim I did.

Please, you're upsetting Anna. Talk to me about this in my journal if you must, or let it be.

Thank you, Honey. I love you.

Johanna, why don't you come over for dinner some time and spend an evening with us? I'm sure Anna would like to see you.

Fine.

Daddy was a very silly man last night, but we all forgive him because we love him, don't we?

Remember: Never drink all the vodka. And if you do, make sure you have a full stomach and drink plenty of water.

you what? never saw peter as the drinking all the vodka type.

He's the not drinking anything type. Hence the problems when he does.

right... that makes more sense.

Sometimes people do silly things...

seems to be the moral of the story, yeah.

anna is silly to but i didnt drink whateveer that is

Vodka is a Russian drink for grown-ups. We can all use a bit of silliness sometimes, but drinking too much grown-up drink can make people a little bit too silly. Then they feel sick the next day, like your Daddy is. He'll get better soon though, and hopefully he'll remember not to do it again.

svetlana is russian

I'm feeling better now, Annachen. Why don't you come see me, Baby?

okay! i love daddy!

And I love my Annachen.

Well... all sorts of things come out of Russia. They're as many and different as the things that come out of England or Austria.

i like svetlana. i have to see daddy now.

Ah, the full stomach, that was my mistake...

Peter! What has Liz told you about eating?

She'll make me eat cigarettes?

No, silly. I believe her words were along the lines of, "If you don't eat that I'll sit on you." I like to think of it as a long-term concept.

Oh right, that.

I'd better get on that then.

It most certainly is a one of those!

You've been warned, Peter!

I do love you, Liz.

I love you too, Tasha dear.

Ganging up on me is not nice.

We're ganging up with love.

Come eat something before I shove it down your throat.

Oh yes, I feel the love.

I'll come once I've talked with Anna.