Teen Trials

Dance, Dance

"Emma! So help me if your shoes are not on in the next two minutes!" Amy shouted up the stairs.

"Then what?" Emma sassed, shouting back down the stairs.

"What was that?!" Amy called back, standing up from where she had been cleaning up Niko's trains with him. Luca chose that moment to decide he was starving and start hollering. Niko, hearing the kitchen door open, rushed to finish putting his trains away and tripped knocking over the bucket and starting to cry himself. Amy went to pick up Luca, while glaring at the stairs. When she turned back to comfort Niko, he was laughing in her husband's arms. "I'm sorry. I was trying to get ready to go."

He kissed her lips lightly. "Feed him, and take a moment to relax. What needs doing?" Hunter asked, tossing Niko in the air and catching him.

"The trains, and if you can get our teen out of her room with her shoes on, that would be amazing!" Amy told him, sitting down in the glider in the living room.

Hunter slung Niko over his shoulder and tickled his sides as the little boy squealed in delight. He walked over to the stairs, still tickling his son. "Emma, get down here, please."

"Remind her about her shoes..." Amy said.

"You're supposed to be relaxing, Aims," Hunter scolded gently. "Now Emma!"

Emma came down the stairs with as much attitude as she could muster without stomping. "Why are you home?"

Hunter set Niko down on his feet and gave him a gentle swat, "Go pick up your toys."

"Yes Sir!" He called scampering off to do as he had been told.

"Why aren't your shoes on?" Hunter asked, pulling the teen in for a hug.

She fought him for a second and then relaxed into his arms. "They're in my dance bag."

"Did Mama say they should be on your feet or in your dance bag?" He asked, not letting go. These moments wouldn't last forever after all.

"Well she's a neat freak, and they belong in my dance bag. So she probably has asked me several times to put them in my dance bag." Emma said, pulling away slightly.

Hunter sighed, "Shoes on your feet and give me your phone. If you can drop the attitude by the time we get home, I will give it back."

Emma rolled her eyes, but handed the phone off without further complaint. She pulled her uggs out of her dance bag and put them on. "Why are you home again?"

"Because dance is a big part of your life and we want to know what the options are."

"But the final choice is mine." Emma said in what she hoped was a firm voice.

Both adults nodded, "The final choice is yours." Hunter agreed. He went to open the door when the doorbell rang and ushered in one of the older women from church. "It should be about 2-3 hours, is that still okay Anna?"

"Yes, you guys go and check out those places

and leave these babies to me." Mrs. Anna said, smiling at the boys. They bid the boys goodbye and went out to Hunters truck.

"I could have driven my own car..." Emma said as they drove to the first studio.

Amy turned in her seat and reached for Emma's hand. "We know baby, but we want to see the studios."

"Fine," She snapped, slouching down to sulk.

Hunter locked eyes with her in the rearview mirror. "You're cruising towards a warm bottom." Emma threw herself back hard in the seat and crossed her arms. "Both of you need to sit right in your seats." Hunter told them.