Alpha Ian's The One and Only

Chapter 2

Claire and I were eating breakfast when Liam walked into the kitchen and sank into the chair, laying his head on his folded arms on the counter.

"Rough night?" I asked, getting up to pour him a glass of orange juice.

"Hmmm."

"Have you brushed your teeth?" I asked, setting the juice and his breakfast in front of him.

"Hmmm." Claire chortled while eating her breakfast.

Sipping my tea, I said, "I had an interesting night. Someone was drunkenly trying to sneak into the house through your room window. And the same someone then emptied his stomach content on the floor. Claire and I had to get that very same someone to bed before he passed out."

His head snapped up, and he stared at me with wide eyes and gulped. He looked at Claire as if asking for help, but she shook her head as if saying, 'all the evidence points at you, so I can't help you on this.'

"I am waiting for the explanation."

He sat up straight on his chair, cleared his throat looked at me with wide innocent eyes and frantically said, "I was at Adam's, and we were studying, I swear, but then a few of the guys came over, and they got booze, and it soon turned into a small party and..," he shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"Liam, I know how high school parties are. And I am okayish with you and Claire attending them, but you need to know your limits. Everything has a limit, may it be a person, food, or alcohol; if you cross that limit, there will be consequences."

"I...I...I am sorry." He said, sighing in defeat and hanging his head.

"I won't lecture you more because I am sure that hangover is punishment in itself." I paused. "Well, I cannot be that lenient. Okay then, you are on babysitting duty today. I got called into the hospital, and you, a responsible elder brother, will watch over and take care of your sisters. And tomorrow, you will be helping with these errands," I said, handing him the list I had prepared right after waking up.

He looked at the list and started reading it, "weeding the garden, fixing the broken step on the deck, cleaning your room, scrubbing your bathroom. Oh, come on Mooom! This is too much. I have plans on Sunday."

"You should have considered that before getting drunk. And don't worry, we will work in the garden together. You can divide the rest between today and tomorrow and finish everything. After yesterday's episode, your room and bathroom need a good cleaning."

Liam stuttered, "But...I...okay." He threw his hand up in the air, then laid his head down and covered it with his arms. My kids are very dramatic.

"There, there, my boy, next time; I seriously hope there is no next time, but if there is, this will remind you to stay within your limits. Now, finish your breakfast," I said, patting his shoulder and getting up from my chair. I placed my plates in the sink.

"I will do the dishes; don't you have somewhere to be?" Claire said pointing at the chef's clock on one of the shelves. 09:30 am. I have to be at the hospital at noon. It's Saturday, so we all slept in, and now I have to hurry.

"Thank you, honey. I will be back within an hour," I said over my shoulder, running out of the kitchen while grabbing my car keys from the key holder on the wall near the front door. I got into my car, rolled down the window, and drove out of the driveway.

Our home sits in a small clearing of the forest, is surrounded by trees on three sides, and has a beautiful yard at the front with the driveway. My grandfather brought this piece of land after he retired from the Army. His dad was in the Army, so growing up grandpapa travelled a lot, and then he served in Army for 20 years, so he never got a place he could call home. He once said he felt a deep connection to this place and knew he had found the place to put down his roots. And when he met my grandmama, he knew he was home. He built the traditional slope roof type two-story house, grandmama landscaped the garden, and their love and laughter made this place home. My father grew up here; I grew up here, and my children are growing up here. Though it is a 30-40-minute drive from the main town centre, this is home.