The Specialist and I

16

Rhyan was out of the hospital and so was Epps. The base had been rebuilt. Sad part is, I'm still not allowed there. Stupid government. I sat on my bed and growled. I hated being stuck at home. Annabel, who recently turned 1, ran into my room giggling like a little maniac.

"What do you want, Annabel?", I asked.

"Pway! Pway!", Annabel yelled and climbed on the cot.

"Not now.", I stated.

Annabel started jumping on the cot, I growled at her.

"Pweas?", Annabel asked.

"Annabel! Get off! Before you break it!", I said and got up.

Annabel continued to jump. She landed on the cot and tore the material. One of the legs snapped. She stopped jumping and looked at me, eyes full of innocence.

"Sowwy.", Annabel said and climbed out of the hole she made, "Tan we pway now?"

"No!", I yelled, "You broke Ron's bed! Out!"

She started crying and left the room. I took a photo of the bed with my cellphone before tearing the rest of the material and taking the poles apart. As expected, Mom walked in carrying Annabel.

"Lori Lennox, why did you yell at your sister?", Mom asked.

"Here.", I showed her the photo, "Now, Ron doesn't have a bed."

"She's just a toddler, Lori. You need to understand that.", Mom said.

"No. What you need to understand is that she needs to start learning discipline. I'm spending my freaking paycheck on that brat right now.", I growled and tossed my phone on my bed, "If you're going to lecture me about respect, go ahead. I don't care."

Mom stayed silent as I picked the poles and material up. I pushed past her and went downstairs. I tossed the broken cot in the garbage bin outside and went back inside. Mom was sitting on the couch with Annabel in her arms. I walked up to my room and made my bed.

The front door downstairs opened and I heard two sets of footsteps.

"Daddy!", Annabel yelled happily.

I heard the stairs groan as Ron walked up them. His footsteps were hard almost as if he was angry. He opened the door and sure enough, he had a scowl on his face. I set a second pillow on the bed as I finished making it.

"Where's the cot?", Ron asked.

"Annabel broke it.", I said, Ron growled, "Which is why I set a second pillow here. I figured we could share the bed until we bought a new cot or something."

As I spoke, my face went red. Ron only sighed and walked into the closet to hang his jacket up. I sat down on my side of the bed as Ron came out of the closet and closed the doors.

"Going to bed?", he asked.

"No. Not yet.", I answered, "What happened at Base? I can tell you're angry."

Ron set his bag down next to the door and sat on the other side of the bed. He sighed.

"The twins are running around constantly playing pranks on everyone, Wyatt, who you have yet to meet, is making new inventions and when someone tests it, they nearly hurt or kill another soldier which pisses off Rhyan and now, somehow, the Doc managed to turn himself into a baby. It's chaotic.", Ron explained.

"Rhyan is a baby?!", I asked, my eyes widening, "Who's taking care of him?"

"Orion is attempting to. However, he knows little about taking care of a child. No one at base knows how to take care of a kid, well, minus Lennox and Epps. Those two are always running around, no one can ever find them.", Ron said.

"Bring him here.", I stated, deturmined.

"I'm sorry?", he said, confused.

"Bring Rhyan here. I can take care of him. I have plenty of experience with Annabel.", I volunteered.

"Are you sure about this, Lori?", Ron asked, "Taking care of a baby genius isn't easy. Especially when it's Rhyan."

"I'm sure. It can't be that hard.", I said.

"Alright. I have to head back to base tomorrow for a bit anyway. I'll bring him back.", Ron said, I smiled, "I'm going to bed."

"Good idea. I'm probably going to be up all day tomorrow and night with Rhyan here.", I said, smiling.

I turned the light off and climbed into bed next to Ron. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

~~~~~~

I woke up and looked at my clock. It was only 7. I looked down and seen a black shirt. Wait - WHAT?! My eyes widen as I look up slowly. When I seen Ron's face, my face went as red as a tomato. I guarantee it. I slowly and quietly went back over to my side of the bed. I looked at the clock again. 7:01.

Grumbling quietly, I got out of bed and walked into the closet. I changed into blue jeans and a black t-shirt with roses on the front. I grabbed my black wallet and phone and walked outside to Ron's truck. I unlocked the doors and got in. My face was still red.

"Oh my god.", I said quietly, my voice shaky, "Why in the world did that happen?"

"Why did what happen?", I jumped and turned to face my dad.

"Umm........never mind.", I said.

"O.....kay.", Dad said, "Have you seen Ron?"

"Y-yeah. He's asleep. I-in my room.", I answered.

"In your room? I thought that was-", Dad stopped in the middle of his sentence, eyes going wide, "Lori Lee Lennox!"

"Dad! Whatever you're thinking, it never happened!", I said quickly.

"You mean you two didn't sleep together?", Dad asked.

"U-um. O-okay, it's exactly what you're thinking.", I said quietly.

"And you had sex?!", Dad asked, my eyes widened again.

"What?! No! Oh my god! Dad, no!", I yelled and heard mom coming outside, "Just.....No!"

My face was beyond red. How could he think that?!

"What's with all the yelling?", Mom asked.

"Lori slept with Ron.", Dad answered, Mom looked over at me.

"Lori!", she scolded.

"Mom! No! It wasn't like that!", I said, feeling the truck heat up, "I told him we could share the bed since Annabel broke the cot."

The truck was so hot, I had to open the door and get out. What did I do............?