This Is Our Family

Part 2

Maya and KJ rode in silence all the way to the station.

When they arrived and walked in everyone at Station 19 ran up to KJ and gave her a hug. KJ had been coming to the station since she came out of her Mama's womb. The station had practically helped raise her. KJ knew she could count on everyone at the station.

"KJ follow me to my office please," Maya said as she walked by everyone.

Travis and Vic looked at each other and then looked back at KJ. Vic said, "That doesn't sound good, kid."

"That's because it's not," KJ looked back and said to Vic.

"You better fill us in on all the details later," Vic whispered playfully as she shooed KJ to her mom's office.

-

As Maya was organizing her desk for the day, KJ walked in sheepishly.

"Sit down Karter," Maya said sternly.

KJ knew the lecture was coming and was prepared to do exactly what her Tia Andy had told her to do. Just take it.

Maya walked over to the closet in her office and pulled out a bucket and a mop.

"Today you're on mop duty. All the floors need to be done. The floors in the barn as well. I expect them to be spotless," Maya said handing the supplies over to her daughter.

Karter looked at her mom confused. "You're joking, right?" she said.

"KJ, does it look like I'm joking?" Maya answered seriously. "If you want to act like an adult, you're going to work like an adult."

KJ stood there with her mouth open a little bit, still confused, but also slightly in shock.

"But Mom...Momma already grounded me and lectured me all night," Karter fired back at her mom.

Maya's voice level went up a bit, "Karter. I'm not going to say it again. You start mopping or it's a whole month without your phone, friends, or activities."

Karter mumbled under her breath a little bit and as Maya turned around to reprimand her again KJ agreed, "Alright. I'm sorry. I'm going."

She shuffled out the door with her cleaning supplies and went to fill her mop bucket with soap and water.

-

KJ was in the beanery mopping the floors when her Auntie Vic and Tia Andy walked in.

"How are you feeling ya knucklehead?" Andy asked.

Vic chimed in. "Damn, kid. What did you do that the captain is making you scrub floors."

"Somebody decided to have wayyyy too many drinks last night," Andy teased as she pulled KJ to her side. "Glad to see you're still alive this morning," she joked as she kissed the top of her head.

Vic's eyes got wide and her face very animated. "Wow! Drunk underage and missed curfew and all you got was mop duty? Maya's getting soft," Vic laughed as she playfully bumped into KJ.

KJ stopped mopping and sat down next to her aunts.

"They grounded me for a week too," KJ sighed. "I know I screwed up. Mom hasn't really said anything about it and that makes it seem like mop duty isn't the only thing she has planned."

Vic and Andy laughed and teased KJ a little bit.

"Come on knucklehead. I'll help you out, let me go grab another mop," Andy said. "Don't tell your mom though," she whispered to KJ through gritted teeth.