Let Me Put You In The Picture: Version 1

Chapter 203

            "Blue." Liam murmured nudging my shoulder. "It's time to get up now. C'mon."

It was still dark out but I knew it would be. The sun didn't rise until after seven making it even more difficult to get up at five – for me anyway. Liam was always up by then to go for his runs. He was always an early bird while I remained a sort of night owl (I wasn't much for staying up super late either).

"Okay." I mumbled stretching to wake up.

I was glad to have Liam there to wake me up. He made for a much more pleasant sounding alarm clock. Assigning him the task gave him a sense of usefulness but I still set a regular alarm clock just in case.

We got up and while Liam got dressed to go out for his run, I went down to start getting ready for the day.

"So, what are they doin'?" I wondered aloud as I gazed at the calendars hanging on the fridge door. "Are they buyin' or packin'?"

I had Sonny and Donovan go through each of their schools' monthly lunch calendars and decide what they wanted to do every day. Then, we made notes of it so we knew as each day came.

That day was a day for both of them to pack so I go busy packing their lunchboxes.

"Mornin'." Gene yawned as he entered the kitchen.

"Mornin'." I greeted him not turning away from the counter while preparing sandwiches.

Just then, I heard the fridge door open and a couple things knocking about inside it.

I turned around and my jaw dropped at the sight. "What the heck are you doin'?" I questioned Gene.

"Havin' a drink a milk." He replied.

"Not outta the frickin' carton! Get a glass!"

"Well, I would do but then I got to thinkin' if I drink straight from the carton I won't have to dirty a glass."

"Gene..." I breathed out a hiss-like sigh. "Either get a glass or I'll kick your ass!"

He tutted. "Fine!"

I finished packing Sonny and Donovan's lunches then went upstairs to roust them. They were easy to get out of bed...their father, not so much.

"Let's go, Noel!" I ordered. "We ain't got time for this!"

"But-"

"We got an hour and fifteen minute drive and that's only if the traffic ain't bad."

"Who's drivin'?" He inquired.

"Our Gene." I informed him.

He rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Get your license then you can drive us. But until then, that's your Uber."

He came downstairs a few minutes later and hung out in the kitchen.

Sonny and Donovan entered the kitchen a little while after their dad. Dressed in their uniforms with their backpacks slung over their shoulders...for the most part anyway.

"Where's your suit jackets?" I asked them. "They ain't gonna let yins in the school without your jackets."

"Right." They nodded turning back around and exiting the kitchen. They returned a few seconds later with their jackets on.