LIFE'S CALLING:

"Race you down the stairs," Marc yelled as he slid down the bannister and into the living room.

"Hey, that's not fair. You got a head start," Marley whined back from the upstairs balcony. Breakfast had officially begun in the Jacobs house and Rachelle looked up just in time to catch the offender red handed as he peeled into the kitchen in his new Wheelie shoes.

"I thought I told you not to wear those things in the house, "she scolded.

"Sorry mom-I guess I forgot," he smirked as he grabbed a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and plopped down at the bar table.

Marley entered the kitchen a few minutes later, already whining about the morning's start.
"Mom, he forgot to put the toilet seat down again and he got toothpaste all over my new Hannah Montana toothbrush," she yelled as she shot her brother a menacing glance.

Marc stuck his tongue out at his sister, but pulled it back in quickly before his mother caught sight of him. This was nothing new. They had been fighting since before they were born. Rachelle remembered how violently they would kick and claw at each other, even in the womb. She swore that towards the end of her pregnancy, they had already developed sibling rivalry.

Rachelle handed Marley her cereal and got her settled at the table. She grabbed a hairbrush and pulled her daughter's long ebony hair back in a quick pony tail. It was hard to believe that the twins were almost 9 now and at times Rachelle got a bit choked up thinking about how fast they were growing. Within minutes the fighting had resolved and peace once again took hold of the household.

From upstairs in the bedroom, Marcus heard the morning scuffle and winced beneath the covers. Usually he would be in the shower already and about to head out the door for his long morning commute, but today he had called in sick. Something he ate last night was not sitting well with him and he had been up all night in and out of the bathroom. By 5 o' clock it was obvious that he was in no shape to go to work. He pulled the covers tighter over his head to block out the light already streaming in from the side windows and tried to fall back asleep.

Rachelle busied herself with the morning routine and set the kids' lunchboxes on the counter in front of them- Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches, Apple slices and organic wheat crackers. Although they could buy their lunches from school, she hated the thought of them eating all of that greasy, fried cafeteria food-and she didn't

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