Forever In Your Shadows

Chapter 2

Alejandro's POV

I didn't want to start middle school. Amelie was excited to start since she was all about boys. I sat in my room with Burger and thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad... 

"I swear to God if I step on another stupid charging box, I'm throwing them out!" I heard mom yell. I sighed and peeked out of my room to see Amelie running our to pick up her charger. I was surprised that mom hasn't snapped on her yet... 

"I'm sorry mom." She mumbled. I saw mom turn around and start scolding her. I was surprised. Mom would never scold us as much as she did now... Maybe she was just stressed. I heard Scarlett come through and she looked at me through the door. 

"Here." She handed me my things that I had left in the kitchen. 

"Thanks. You're a life saver." I smiled. It wasn't a charger box or anything. It was just books I left all over the table from last night. Mom and dad wanted me to pursue music like them, but I wanted to go into business. They didn't really like that but they were supportive. 

"I'm home!" Dad yelled while locking the door behind him. I walked out and looked at him. "What's bothering you?" He asked.

"Is middle school going to be hard?" I asked him. 

"Yes." He frowned. "But you're smart, you'll pass with flying colors." I nodded and felt oh so much better. Dad wasn't the best with pep talks and mom was already yelling at Amelie today. "Is Amelie in trouble again?" He whispered. 

"I swear you need to learn to pick up your things! I'm not going to keep cleaning up after you!" We heard mom yell. 

"Wow... What did she do?" He whispered. 

"She left her cords out and mom stepped on one." I answered. He nodded and walked to the bedroom that mom was in. I followed a little behind and saw mom walk back out holding a basket of clothes. 

"Alejandro do you have any dirty clothes?" She asked. 

"Yes momma." I said quietly. 

"Can you bring them to the wash." She walked away and I hurried to do what she said. I wasn't going to be in Amelie's shoes today. 

~~

Pippa's POV

I sorted through clothes and tried my best not to snap my kid's neck. Scarlett was never this much trouble, and Alejandro was busy consumed with books that Amelie decided to become invisible. Where does she get this from? 

"I can't believe you aren't letting me hang out with them! They aren't a bad influence!" Amelie yelled from the hall. 

"Yes they are and you're grounded! That room looks like your closet went to war with your bed!" I yelled back. Lin laughed and continued to cook dinner. "Stop laughing please... I have such a huge headache. These kids are killing me." I groaned. 

"Have you gotten any word on when schools go back?" He asked. 

"September first. Same as last year." I mumbled. He gave me a look and I shrugged my shoulders. "What?" I asked him. 

"What's gotten into you?" He asked. 

"Nothing..." I lied. I was tired, and very much annoyed with our kids. Scarlett's classes were taking a toll on me because I had to drive her everywhere. Alejandro always had a book in his hands about some weird subject from school and would leave everything around afterwards. And Amelie was even worse with her hiding in her room all day and forgetting she has siblings and parents that worry about her. 

"Well, why don't you take a break from being a parent?" He asked. I laughed and continued doing the wash. "What's so funny?" 

"Me? Take a break? Yeah okay! I can't take a break! My break is when they're at school! But when they're at school, I'm at school. With them. Do you know how many times I see Amelie go into the principals office for being defiant at school??" I yelled. "I've threatened to have you come down there and knock some sense into you but she doesn't take you seriously. None of our kids do Lin! You're just the fun loving dad who everyone loves! I feel like I'm a bad parent because I'm the one who says no now..." I sniffed. "I thought we fixed all this in therapy." I cried. 

"Pips..." He turned off the burner and walked over to me. I felt him hug me from behind and I wanted to push him off of me, but you needed energy to do that. "I'm sorry... I'll take off work again. That way you can get some sleep, and I'll be with the kids. I'll remind them who's the big boss is." He kissed my cheek and smiled. "Of course that's you, but I'm right up there with them." He laughed. 

"Mom, did you know that your checking account could be a bit better if you got a better job?" I turned to see Alejandro holding our bills and check book... "I mean with dad working and pulling in the bigger bucks, we're barely scraping by with what you guys make now." He shrugged. I just stared at him... How the hell does a ten year old know how to balance a checkbook.... "Mom?" He repeated. 

"You know, when I had you, the doctors asked if I wanted to sell you." I lied. He gasped and put the papers on the table and ran back to his room. I laughed and went back to laundry. 

"Why would you lie to him?" Lin asked. 

"It works every time! Scarlett started it when she was little and it always straightened him out ever since!" I laughed. "But why is a ten year old making our fiances a big deal?"

"He likes numbers. He says it keeps him happy." He shrugged. "No idea where he got that from though." He smiled. 

"Me either." I shook my head and finished the load I was working on. I needed to have a sit down with this family and soon... I was about to go nuts if they kept acting like this....