CLOSENESS AND CONFLICTS

The morning was warm and bright and it was the perfect time for her and her children to harvest the ripe fruits and fresh vegetables from their backyard. The smiling redhead was now carrying a large woven basket with her, as her grinning seven-year-old son and giggling five-year-old daughter followed her with smaller baskets of their own.

"Mommy, mommy, look at this!” loudly announced the sweet little lass with blond, curly hair that was tied and braided with a cute violet ribbon. "My strawberry plants have ripe fruits now.”

The mommy gave a pretend gasp of delight that was totally believable to her children. “Oh, my goodness, baby. You’re right! They are finally ripe! Good girl!”

"But they look so small, mommy,” stated the big brother, who earned a pout from his little sister.

“Oh, they may be tiny, my darling boy, but they are twice sweeter than the ones we buy at the grocery store. Come on, both of you try it.”

"NO! He said bad things about my strawberries. He has no right to