Rattles Rattles

An Announcement

Rattles and his family are eating dinner. He notices that his mom and Archie have been acting differently than normal. But he doesn't want to say anything.

After dinner he, Ansel, and Angie are sitting in the living room. Angie is dancing, Ansel is doing push-ups, and Rattles is just sitting on the couch.

Angie starts to talk to her stepbrother in slang, which confuses Rattles.

"English Sis," Ansel reminds his twin.

"Right, are you okay Frizz Man?"

"Have our parents been acting weird recently, like secretive?"

"Yeah, your mom sounded like she was sick in the bathroom, like vomit sick," Ansel says.

"I saw Dad walk in with clothes, like really small clothes," Angie says.

All of the sudden their parents walk in.

"Kids, Sadie and I need to tell you something," Archie says.

The three of them stop what they are doing and turn their attention to their parents.

"I'm pregnant," Sadie says happily.

Ansel and Angie run and hug their parents but Rattles doesn't join, all he can do is imagine how much his life is going to change.

"You okay, Finley?" Sadie asks using Rattles' real name.

"Yeah Mom, that's great," Rattles says coming back to reality.

The night ends and Rattles goes to sleep. Instead of having sweet dreams, he has a nightmare of doing everything wrong and being laughed at and disowned by his friends and family.

He wakes up screaming.

"You okay Rattles?" Ansel asks as the scream wakes him up.

"I think so, the announcement just has me worried," Rattles says.

"Do you want to go downstairs to talk about it?"

"Sure, a cup of hot chocolate always calms me down," Rattles accepts the offer.

The boys walk downstairs to the kitchen and Ansel makes the drinks as Rattles sits at the table with his hands cupping his face.

"So, bad dream?"

"Very bad dream."

"What about?"

"About what happens when the baby comes, I mean am I going to be a good big brother? I wasn't always the nicest person in school," Rattles admits.

"I can't see you as being a bully," Ansel says.

"I wasn't a bully, I was misunderstood."

Ansel looks at Rattles.

"Okay, I was a bully, but I was the kindest of the Tough Customers."

"But the Tough Customers are nice."

"We weren't always protestors," Rattles says.

Rattles explains the whole background of the four friends.

"It sounds like you never wanted to be a Tough Customer," Ansel says.

"It can be hard to find your place in school, I just took the easiest way," Rattles says.

"Don't your friends have little siblings?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, talk to them about it, they may have tips on helping us, and don't worry, I'm scared too."

"That's a great idea, thanks Ansel," Rattles says before finishing his drink.

"Let's get back to bed, we have school tomorrow," Ansel says taking the cups and putting them in the sink to soak.