Vincent chuckled and followed them into the kitchen. His mother smiled sweetly at Sapphire and handed her two cookies, somewhat sourly at Emerald and handed her a single cookie, and smiled neutrally at Ruby giving her one cookie. “Go out and play with your toys children,” she instructed, “I need to speak with your father.”

“What is it mother?” he asked, taking a cookie.

“It’s about Emerald,” she explained, “I find that she’s a very… violent child.” She was trying to choose her words carefully.

Vincent stopped halfway to taking a bite. “What do you mean?”

“She tore open the flour packet with her teeth, growled at me and tried to rip her toy lion apart,” she recounted all that she’d seen, “At this rate she’ll end up in prison before too long.”

Vincent destroyed the cookie as he clenched his fist. “I’m only going to say this once,” he tone low and even, his anger being held in check, “Do not judge my children. Accept them for who they are or not at all. And that means all three, you can’t just have Sapphire over as she’s your favourite and ignore the others. Am I clear?”

Sapphire had led her sisters to the other room. She broke apart her cookie and gave them each a piece. She watched them munch on it quitely, listening for there father to come back.

"Im sure he will be fine." Sapphire reasured.

“Yes,” Vincent’s mother, conceding to her son, “I’m sorry, it’s just I worry for them is all.”

Calming himself Vincent replied, “I know, but you are too harsh a judge of them. Emerald’s a little rougher than the other two, but she is if anything more caring and considerate.”

With that resolved Vincent grabbed three more cookies and went out to the girls. Sitting down with them he said, “So, how do we like grandma’s cookies? Who wants another one?” He held out the three cookies.

Vincent’s mother stared at the cookie crumbs, the remnants of the cookie Vincent destroyed. Taking out a dustpan and brush she began to sweep it up. As she did so she decided that she would keep an eye on Emerald. She was determined to turn the little animal into a proper lady, like Sapphire.

All three girls took a cookie from thier fathers hands.

"Thanks you!" All three exclaimed

Ruby let out a tiny whimper when she couldnt fit the cookie in her mouth. Emerald noticed this and took the cookie from the little one, breaking it into smaller pieces before handing it back to her.

Emmy chowed down on her cookie, smiling happily when she was done. Sapphire ate the cookie more gingerly then her younger sister, in deep thought about the events that had so far taken place.

Vincent smiled broadly as he watched Emerald help her younger sister. That sight let him know that every word that he’d said to his mother had been true, and that Emerald was going to turn out just fine.

*****

“Dinner’s ready,” came his mother’s voice from the kitchen. He rose from the table, beckoning for the girls to remain seated. In the kitchen his mother was plating up. They were having home made burgers with fries and salad.

Vincent took Ruby and Emerald’s plate out and set it in front of them, “Wait for us all to be seated,” he instructed, more to Emerald than Ruby. Going back he collected his and Sapphire’s plate.

Giving Sapphire her meal he took his seat. His mother sat down opposite him, next to Emerald. “Well dig in,” she said.

Emerald followed her father's instructions to a t..all the way up untill the burger and fries where placed infront of her. The happy child dug in whe her grandmother told her to, and she did it rather eagerilly.

Ruby sat next to her sister on a high chair. She ate the food as well but with a fork because of her little teeth. The little girl looked at her older sister and dropped a frie on her nose.

"Do trick!" Ruby exclaimed with a pleading look on her face.

Emerald was happy to obidge and balanced the thing on her nose. She the opened her mouth open and chomped it down eagerilly.

"Yea!" Ruby cheered clapping her little hands.

Sapphire smirked at her younger sibling. "Youre gonna be better than mom soon if you keep praticing." Sapphire said, eating her food gingerly.

Emerald grinned, taking another bite of her burger.

Vincent laughed as Emerald did her little party piece. “Sapphire’s right,” he said, “You’re getting very good Emmy, you’ll soon be beating mommy.” He grinned as he took aa bite of his burger.

His mother took the opportunity to scowl at Emerald while he wasn’t looking, though an appreciative smile appeared on her face when he looked back at her. She was not surprised in the least that Jade he taught the mongrel that.

Emerald noticed the look and so did Sapphire. Sapphire glared and her grandmother, clenching her fists. Sapphire had never before been filled with such anger and hatred. It got a tad bit darker in the room as the young girl fumed before taking another bite of food.

Emerald on the other hand merely shrunk in her seat slightly, eating her food a bit more gingerly.

Neither Vincent nor his mother saw Sapphire’s look nor noticed the slight darkening in the room. They did however spot Emerald eating more politely. Vincent smiled encouragingly at her while his mother allowed herself a self-satisfied smirk.

Once they had finished eating she got up and began clearing the dishes. “Sapphire dear, would you help me? I have dessert in the kitchen that I’ll bring out in just a moment.”

Sapphire gritted her teeth before drawing in a deep calming breath.

"Yes grandmother." Sapphire replied looking over at Emerald with a small shrug. Emerald nodded slowly, signiling her to go.

Emerald folded her hands, twidling her thumbs irritably.

In the kitchen Vincent’s mother scrapped the plates she was carrying and put them in the dishwasher, indicating for Sapphire to do the same. Pulling a large bowl of jelly form the fridge she got a serving spoon and headed back into the dining room.

“Sapphire, could you bring the bowls and spoons?” she asked, though it sounded more like an order, “Bowls in that cupboard, spoons in that draw.” With the instructions given she went into the dining room and placed the jelly on the table.
“Who likes jelly?”

Sapphire muttered a few choice words underneath her breath before grabbing both bowls and spoons. She placed each on on the placemat infront of her family members.

"I like Jelly." Emerald replied eagerilly, which was true she did like jelly. She looked over at her little sister.

"Maybe we should let Ruby try some first though." Emerald said looking at her younger sibling.

Vincent took the serving spoon and served everyone a portion of jelly, giving Emerald a little bit extra and winking as he placed it in her bowl. His mother saw this and mentally scolded him.

As Vincent sat down he indicated to the kids that they could start, and tucked into his own jelly. “Mmm, strawberry,” he said after his first mouthful, “My favourite.”

Ruby at hers eagerilly, getting little smuges on her face. Sapphire ate her rather stiffly, never enjoying jely that much. Emerald also ate hers eagerilly but cleaning up her face when she got a smudge on it.

Vincent was enjoying his dessert when he looked up and saw the mess little Ruby was making. “Aww Ruby,” he said with a smile, “Look at you all covered in jelly. Come on, let’s go clean you up.”

He got up and went round to Ruby. Picking her up out of her high chair he headed for the bath room. His mother decided that now would be a good time to have a little chat with Emerald, but she needed to get rid of Sapphire first.

“Sapphire,” she said, spotting how she wasn’t particularly enjoying her jelly, “If you’d prefer there are still some cookies in the kitchen.” Glad to have something else Sapphire got down and headed for the kitchen.

Finally alone with Emerald she turned to face her. “Now we’re alone Emerald, I want to talk to you about something,” she said with an almost wicked smile on her face.