Driving Sideways

1.

The two little boys sat at the dining room table with their bowls of cereal in front of them. The older of the two was scowling at his nearly three year old brother angrily. "Stop... repeating me!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Stop repeating me!" The younger boy giggled in a loud voice as he grinned at his brother.

"I said stop!"

"I said stop!" The little boy giggled.

"Greyson!"

"Greyson!"

"Greyson Butthead Shepherd!"

"That is not my name!"

"Ha! You can't repeat me anymore!"

"Ha! You can't repeat me anymore!" The younger boy shouted as he ducked as his older brother started to stand on his chair. "MOMMY!" The younger boy screeched as he climbed under the table.

"Richard Michael Shepherd, what are you doing standing on the furniture!" Meredith exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen.

"He won't stop repeating me!" He exclaimed angrily as he pointed under the table at his brother.

"He's gonna hit me!" Greyson shouted as he rolled into a ball under the table.

"He will not hit you... Grey, get out from under the table..." Meredith said as she pulled the chair out.

"He's gonna hurt me, mommy..." Greyson whimpered.

"Richie, sit down please... eat your cereal..." Meredith said to her older son as he sighed and shook his head.

"He's more trouble than he's worth..." Richie sighed as he sat down on his chair, watching his mother glare, he averted his gaze.

"Richie, that's enough." Meredith said as she glanced back under the table. "Grey... please come out..."

"No." He whimpered. "I don't want to."

"Please, baby...?" Meredith said as she knelt down on the floor. "Can mommy come see you?"

"No." He whimpered. "I don't need mommy... just Snuggles bear." He sighed.

"Snuggles bear is upstairs...come see mommy and we'll go get Snuggles bear and you can bring him to daycare."

"Mommy, can you go get Snuggles bear... I think I'll stay here..." he whimpered.

"Big baby..." Richie muttered.

"Richard... that's enough..." Meredith scolded. "Go upstairs and get your brother's bear."

"But my cereal will be all soggy..." Richie whined.

"Well, then your cereal will be soggy... go get the bear... and do not put it in the toilet again..." Meredith said as she gave her son a pointed look.

"He needed a bath..." Richie shrugged as he hopped from his chair and ran for the door.

"And no running, Richie!" Meredith called as she watched him slow down for a moment, only to take off running through the house again.

Meredith sat down beside the chair, watching as her son clung to one of the table legs as he curled into a tighter ball. "Greyson, you can't let him get to you like this, buddy."

"He hits me..."

"Sweetheart, he won't hit... not while mommy is around..." She shook her head as she reached her hand out to him. "Here, baby... take mommy's hand..." She said as she held her hand out to him. "Come on, big boy... take mommy's hand.