Surviving Life with the O'Conner Boys

Chapter 11- Surviving Dinner Time

Chapter 11- Surviving Dinner Time

Sitting in my room doing my algebra homework I hum along to my music while kicking my feet in the air. I was almost done with my homework without passing out for more sleep for once, which wasn't all that surprising since I over slept this morning, but usually homework got so boring that I slept then never finished. 

Turning up my music The Wanted came on and I started singing along with them when someone shook my shoulder roughly, "Leave me alone Nathan." I mumbled annoyed. I vow not to let him copy all my hard work and answers again! Not without something in return at least.

"Oh Brooklyn." A female voice giggles, interfering with my music. Looking up, my mom stands over my bed still wearing her pastel purple nurse outfit, white shoes, and with her sand colored hair pulled back into a messy pony tail. Dark shadows marking under her dull green grey eyes from lack of sleep.

“Mom! Hey your home!" I exclaim, moving on my bed to make room for her to sit on. She's home early for once.

"I think the hospital can survive one night without me." She smiles, lightly playing with my hair, “Besides, do you not see the bags under my eyes. I need sleep, not coffee.” She jokes pointing to the bags under her eyes, "The boys giving you a hard time?"

I rolled my eyes sighing, "When are they not." I reply, cracking a grin.

Giggling lightly she smiles, "I was talking about the O'Conners. Before you had two to put up with, now there's five more."

"Guess I'm used to it by now." I shrug pausing the music on my iPhone.

"You know." She sighs sounding tired, "I can't help but feel guilty. Knowing that you're home alone with seven boys and no girl time. I'm sure you hang out with your girlfriends a lot, but I can't help but feel that I'm not around enough too. Sometimes I wonder if I regret agreeing with your father to let the boys stay here."

I shook my head sitting on my bed properly to hug my mother, "Like I said mom I'm so used to it by now. You shouldn't have to worry about it. Sure the boys can be pains in my ass, get me into trouble, headaches, and annoy the hell out of me, but I expect it all. They are boys after all."

"My strong brave girl." She smiles, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, while kissing my cheek, "God gave me the perfect girl for the job to handle all these boys."

"Got that right." I said laughing with her. "So what are you doing home so early?" I ask, sitting on my bed with my legs tucked under my butt.

"Thought it would be a good night for all of us to eat together." She smiled excitedly, “Maybe it a weekly thing.”

"Wait. All of us? Is dad home too?!" I smile gratefully jumping off my bed.

"Yes and dinner is already done. We cheated and brought home one of those already cooked chickens."

"Only one." I challenged raising my brow. It was bad enough to eat one chicken with two boys never mind seven!

"Correction. Three chickens."

"Much better." I laugh, walking out with her down stairs. Walking into the dining room everyone surrounded the table as if waiting for us since there was no food on anyone's plates. Smiling I walk up to my dad talking like a five year old with a cooed voice and kiss his cheek.

"How you doing, Hun?" Dad smiles, cutting one of the chickens.

"I'm doing very well. Did I tell you I now have a ninety-six average in algebra?!" I state, happily taking my seat as I passed the salad. I sucked at math but then, finally, high school year, it just click. Now I slowly progress getting good grades. Watch me jinx it.

"Very good. Keep it up." He praises, as he starts to pass the chicken to go around the table.

"Ninety-six? Phew, that's going to be easy to beat." Nathan teases from across the table with a smirk.

"Well try all you want O'Conner, but I'm unstoppable." I challenge him spearing my fork in my garden salad.

"I'm sure you are." He replies sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"Now I know it's only been a week or so since you boys started school but are you keeping up with the work, getting good grades? It's much different going from public school to private school." My father nods, finally receiving the salad bowl.

"You guys went to a public school before?" Kyle states a bit shocked.

"Uh, yeah. It's not so bad though just a little more work, stricter teachers, harder tests." Brody answers for him and his brothers with a shrug. 

"So I've heard some of you made the sports team." Dad continues.

"Yes sir, lacrosse." Kol answers with a proud grin.

"Nice. Is it Coach Bill for lacrosse still?"

"Yeah. Did you know him?" Brandon asks mixing his salad, not very into it. Figures. Damn he's a picky child, even Parker is eating his salad and he's seven!

"Know him! He was my coach! When I got there it was his second year coaching. My team that year was his first victory. He was like a second father to me, a mentor, everyone on the team called him Uncle Billy even though he was old enough to be my brother." He chuckles replaying his old high school memories.

I chuckle lightly loving when my dad told stories about his past. I didn't see or talk to him often but it’s good to be around him, plus he's a great story teller. I would love just to be stranded on an island one day and just listen to all his stories. 

"You tell Bill that his Golden-boy says hello." Dad tells the twins with an exited smile.

"Will do, sir." Brandon smiled nodding his head.

"Enough with the sir. Got me." He said sternly then smiled, "I'm your Uncle John or your Big Daddy." He joked making everyone at the table laugh.

"Well if it's not too much to ask, Uncle John, can you sign our permission slips later for lacrosse. We're facing San Diego this weekend and Coach doesn't want to drive back so late at night." Kol asks uncertain if he'd say no or not. 

As long as it was for school, or my parents knew enough about, you could jump off a bridge and say it’s for education because we're learning about bridges in science. One time they signed my "permission slip" to go horseback riding and when they asked why I said we were learning about animal behavior. When actually it was a permission slip to let me go to a rated R movie for fun. Drew learned how to scan papers through the printer so now we can get their signature for anything just as easy as asking for it; minus the questions. Thank you Bill Gates for copying and pasting parent’s signatures from one document to another.

"Of course, of course, right after dinner." He agrees.

"Oh and since we're talking about this weekend and going away." Drew said bring up about the weekend I’m dreading, "This week is Seniors Trip so Kyle, Brody, and I will be gone Thursday, Friday, and home by Saturday night."

"And we already had a discussion about it." My mother butts it with a narrow look, "If you get good grades on your report card you can go. So when do they come out?"

"Tomorrow." I heard Drew grumbled like he had wished mom had forgotten about it.

"So tomorrow I want to see it. Leave it on the counter and I'll read it when I get home. And don't you dare think you can screw with me and change your grades. I have your vice dean on speed dial." I held back a laugh at how useless it was since the school never called her because she was always busy. I wonder if she knew.

"And now that we are speaking about vice deans does someone want to explain why I got a phone call from two of them yesterday during my lunch break? And why another today because of tardiness?" Dad asks skeptically putting his salad bowl aside along with everyone else, passing the rice.

We stay quiet for a few minutes, everyone looking at each other silently thinking 'don't give in!' My dad sighed in frustration cutting up some more chicken, "I don't want to get another phone call like that, alright." He confirms passing around more food. We all silently agreed, nodding our heads. There’s now that new moment of awkward silence and no one dared to speak out. So they do get the phone calls…

"Just so I can get a head count." Mom speaks out clearing her throat in the awkward silence, "Drew, Kyle, Brody, Kol, and Brandon won't be home this weekend, but everyone will be back by Sunday at the latest?" Agreeing with her they nod their heads confirming, "And you Nathan? Nothing at all?" 

"Nope.” He replies helping Parker cut his chicken. He smirks in my direction as I rolled my eyes at him.