Problem Children

Chapter Six

"What on earth am I gonna do with the two of you? Huh? A fight? Over what, a few brash comments?" Mrs. Young paced the floor with a practiced gait as she scolded her sons. Hannah stood idly by, watching with sympathy. The older boy had had enough, he wasn't gonna let himself get yelled at for defending his family.

"Mum, he was insultin' Angus, I wasn't gonna have none of that," Malcolm barked.

"But fighting?" Mrs. Young asked. "Malcolm, I raised you better than that. And Angus you didn't stop it?" All attention was turned to the younger who stood up from his chair in protest.

"If I didn't help, Mal would've gotten creamed." His mother shook her head.

"That doesn't work. Not on me. Hannah, you can go home, I've heard the story." The girl stayed put a moment longer till the end of the discussion. A sort of frustrated gloom settled over the group that one couldn't look away from. The woman glanced back at her two sons, both glaring something awful, but at different things. Malcolm took his anger out on the rug while Angus hid none of his feelings from his mother. She raised her eyebrow at them. "And just to serve as a reminder, there will be no party." Attention was all on her now.

"What?! Mum, we've already invited everyone and today was the last day before break!" Malcolm explained.

"Then find another way to tell them. Upstairs." Hannah watched the two head upstairs with reluctant anger. She snuck off to her own house moments later. "You're both grounded for a month!"

"What're we gonna do, Mal?" Angus asked. Both boys hid out in Malcolm's room to talk the situation over. The older brother had picked up his paddleball while the younger kicked his legs over the edge of the much too big chair. "We can't cancel the party, it's too late. And we've already invited everyone."

"We'll be the losers of the whole school," Malcolm agreed.

"And what's worse is that Susan won't come." His brother rolled his eyes and tossed his distraction aside. Here he goes, on with that Lockhart girl again! She was nice enough, smart, and definitely attractive.  But Malcolm knew his brother wouldn't want to be one out of six or seven guys that clinged on to her handbag. He mentally smiled as he thought of Angus' secret sensitive side. One that only a select few dared to cross.

"No, what's worse is that Johnny Jackass will be right. Losers, the both of us." Angus shifted in his spot on the chair. That lousy, rotten, no good, nose-has-its-own-zipcode Johnny was not right. There would be a party one way or another.

"No Mal, we're having that party."

"But Mum said-"

"I heard what Mum said. But I say somethin' different. You'll thank me for this later, Mal, and Johnny won't have a chance to bring us down again," Angus said objectivly. Along with a sensitive side came a stubborn side. One that only his mother dared to cross.

Malcolm wasn't so sure. "If we screw this up, Dad'll kill us," he warned.

"So they won't find out," Angus shrugged. "We'll have it down in the basement. Mum and Dad never go down there."

"How would we sneak all those kids in?" Angus frowned. "Your plan ain't so sharp after all, huh?"

"Hold on now, 'm thinkin'." The boy stood up and looked out the window, sticking his tongue out in thought. The sun was going down; another day gone. He pocketed his hands as an idea worked its way to his brain. With a snap of his fingers, he was center stage.

With three days until Christmas, Malcolm and Angus worked extra hard doing chores around the house. Pumping up bike tires, washing cars, even the inside work. Angus came up with a scheme quite ludicrous for these characters, and Malcolm could hardly believe he complied.

The awareness of their parents was a factor that should be handled with care. Of course the good deeds were vital to be noticed, but suspicion between the two could shatter the whole purpose. Eventually their siblings noticed the kiss up behavior and took advantage of their willingness. This led to late homework completion, humiliating foot massages, and unwarranted teasing of plenty.

Angus made sure to sock Steven when his mother wasn't in the room.

Along with chores came friendly establishments. Their mother was constantly getting after those two for fighting so a kind word here and there offered them some major brownie points. Hannah was eventually let in on the plan and taught them a thing or two about table manners.

Suspicion finally arose between the parents and the children were confronted with accusation. "You boys have been extremely helpful lately," Mrs. Young stated with a beaming smile. The glow was smothered instantly as her lips turned downward. "Too helpful."

"Mum, we were wonderin'..." Malcolm was the first to speak up. "That maybe you wouldn't mind jus' givin' us one big present this year. Since we've been so good an' all." Angus nodded his head.

"And we won't ask for anything ever again." He received a sharp elbow to the rib. Four narrowed eyes against four pleading puppy eyes. Something was up these boys' sleeves. Mrs. Young tilted her head.

"For each of you?" she questioned.

"No no no," Malcolm dismissed. "Just one big present for both of us."

"Somethin' we really want," Angus agreed. Their parents exchanged glances.

"Well, we can't promise anything but-" Their mother gently pushed her sewing aside and their father set their newspaper down. "Try us anyway."

"We were hopin' that maybe you changed your minds about that party," Angus admitted.

"Yeah. We could have the party as a Christmas present."

"No, absolutely not," Mrs. Young said. Her answer was so quick that the brothers weren't sure they heard her correctly. "Being grounded for a month means no one is coming inside this house for a party."

"But we've been so good, Mum!" Malcolm protested. "Angus hasn't acted up in days!" Angus gave his mother a smile but she waved him off.

"No party means no party, I've made myself crystal clear. Look boys, I really appreciate the extra help. But I simply cannot ignore your punishment for fighting at school. What kind of parent would I be?"

"An awesome one," Angus muttered receiving another elbow. Their father picked the paper up again.

"Parties bring nothin' but trouble, I don't want one in my house," he said.

"But Dad, you and Mum always say we need to socialize. This party is the perfect way to-" Their mother cut Malcolm off.

"What about that sweet girl you hang out with? Anna?"

"Hannah," Malcolm corrected. "And she's really not that sweet."

"More like a pain in the arse girl," Angus muttered again. Mrs. Young frowned at her two sons.

"Boys, I'm shocked. She's your friend and we don't use language like that to describe someone."

"'Cept Johnny."

"Angus, shut up!" Malcolm yelled. Their mother shook her head.

"I knew this behavior was short-lived. Lucky I stopped it before I made a deal with the devil," she told herself. Her attention was redirected at her sons. "Both of you are still grounded and there will be no party. Am I understood?" Malcolm stared at his socks while Angus cursed under his breath. "Am I understood."

"Yes," Malcolm whispered. Angus didn't respond. He wouldn't even look his mother in the eye this time. After a simple nod, they were emancipated from the situation but were still prisoners of unfortunate consequences. As they sulked out of the room, Angus kicked the floor.

"Fuckin' spoon-fed Alex for damn nothin'."