Mathers Family Values

Chapter 16

Marshall walked into his house after a long day at the studio. He walked into pure chaos in his home. It completely threw him off. He could hear that his wife was arguing with their now 14 year old son. Malakai wanted to go to some party and Madelyn was adamant that he wasn't going because he was grounded. 

"Maverick has a whole baby and he isn't grounded," Malakai argued. 

"You are grounded because you refuse to do your chores," she replied. 

"So Maverick can just do whatever he wants?"

"This has absolutely nothing to do with your brother or with Mason. This is about you."

Malakai rolled his eyes. Marshall walked into the kitchen after telling the other kids to settle down and scooping up the baby from the swing. Mason calmed rather quickly as Marshall reached for the bottle that his wife was preparing for the little boy. Maverick wasn't home from football yet. Malakai looked at his dad. 

"Boy, what are you doing? You already know this is completely unacceptable. Mom said no and that's the end of it," Marshall said. 

"So Mave can have a whole baby and gets to just do what he wants while you two take care of the kid but I can't go to one party?" Malakai asked. 

"You can just spend the rest of the week chillin in your empty room because I will clear it."

"Dad, it's one party."

"You are grounded. Maybe next time you will remember that your chores come first."

Malakai stomped off to his room. Madelyn shook her head as she watched her husband feed their grandson. 

"Mave not home yet?" he asked. 

"Football," she replied. 

"Oh ok. What's his deal today?"

"Kai?"

"Yeah,"

"He thinks that Mason being Maverick's gives him the right to act like a fool because we apparently allow Maverick to get away with everything because you feel guilty for not wanting him as a baby."

Marshall shook his head. He should have known that he was going to have to deal with that for years to come. He looked down at Mason in his arms. 

"Well kid, hopefully you won't hate grandpa the way that your uncle does and your dad does sometimes." he said. 

"The kids don't hate you, Marshall. They are kids. They are going to use whatever they can to their advantage," Madelyn replied. 

He sighed. She kissed his cheek as she left the kitchen. She went into the living room where the triplets were playing video games. They were rather loud about it. 

"Mom, Matt's cheating," Mckynna whined. 

"N-no, I-I-I'm n-n-not," Matthew argued. 

"Both of you knock it off," Madelyn said. 

Marshall just shook his head. The front door opened. Maverick and Ella walked through it. The oldest Mathers boy walked toward his father to take the baby. 

"Go get a shower," Madelyn told him.

Maverick glanced at her and nodded. She chuckled. The little boy was falling asleep in Marshall's arms anyway. Maverick went to take a shower. Ella looked extremely nervous. Marshall looked at the girl. 

"You doing ok with all of this?" he asked. 

She shrugged. She had to admit that the photos that she had seen of the little boy were adorable but she didn't know how she was going to react to seeing him in person. Maverick came back down the stairs. He went to his dad to take the baby. Madelyn watched her son with his son. Ella looked at the baby as Maverick turned toward her. 

"He's so little," she said. 

"Do you want to hold him?" Maverick asked her. 

She looked nervous for a moment but nodded. He handed the baby over to her. 

"He's adorable, Mave," she said. 

"Thank you. I wasn't sure how I would react to having a son but I love the little guy. I've felt drawn to him from the moment I saw him," Maverick said. 

Ella nodded. She loved this little boy already. They were only sixteen but it just made sense in her head. She could see their future as she looked up from the baby to Maverick and it startled her. Maverick chuckled for a moment. Madelyn looked at her husband. He winked at her. 

The triplets 12th birthday was coming up soon. They were enjoying their sixth grade year at the school that Malakai went to. He was an eighth grader and Maverick was a sophomore. He was now on the varsity football team. He was one of two sophomores to make the varsity team. Ella was on the cheerleading squad. They were waiting to see if Analise actually came back to school or not. Maverick was convinced that she wouldn't but Ella couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't seen the last of Analise.

"Dad, are we having our normal Halloween party this year?" Maverick asked. 

"Most likely," Marshall replied. 

"You guys have a Halloween party?" Ella asked. 

"Yeah, every year," Maverick replied. 

"Do you dress up too?"

"Yeah it's a costume party. It's catered more toward the kids now that there are so many of them but it's a blast. It's mostly just family and a few friends that come by with their kids."

"That's awesome."

"We have done some great theme costumes over the years," Madelyn said. 

"Really?" Ella asked. 

"Mom loves Halloween almost more than Christmas." Maverick explained. 

"Mom does love Halloween more than Christmas," Madelyn said. 

Ella laughed. 

"So you have to come up with a costume for this year?" Ella asked. 

"Nope, got that under control," Maverick said. 

"Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah I was thinking Aladdin for this year. Mason can be Abu."

"Who is gonna be your Jasmine?"

"You of course."

Ella rolled her eyes at him but laughed. Maverick grinned. Ella handed him the bottle as Mason had stopped drinking it. She took the burp cloth that was offered to her and burped the baby. 

"You have younger siblings?" Marshall asked. 

"Yeah, three," Ella replied. 

Marshall nodded. Ella was a natural with the baby boy in her arms. Maverick smiled as he watched her with his son.