The Third One

Chapter 1

"Ash, wake up mom says you need to come downstairs because she has to go to work," Ella, one of my little sisters', says shaking my arm to wake me up not knowing I'm already awake.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake!" I say drowsily.

"Okay, good. Come downstairs after you get dressed," She says and then, finally, leaves our room.

I sit up with a sigh and grab my glasses from where they lay above my pillow. I get up after about five minutes of just lying there looking at the underside of the top bunk.

'Why me?' I think sighing once more then making my way downstairs.

"Asher!" My mom calls when I'm almost to the bottom. "Oh, there you are. Sorry, I didn't think you actually got out of bed," she says teasingly.

"Yep, I'm up," Still grumpy with having gotten woken up from my peaceful sleep.

"I have to get going but I love you, oh and Harper is poopy so she will need to be changed. Also, Kaden hasn't eaten yet so could you make him something? Oh and make sure Qiana does her test for the beginning of school on Tuesday okay? One more thing, can you mop today, please? Thank you!" She says all this as she's rushing out the door.

"Love you too mom," She doesn't hear me though cause she already has the door closed and is walking towards our ancient white minivan.

'Oh well, what can you do?' I think while once again sighing. 'Yep, this is my life folks. Welcome to the excitement.' I think sarcastically.

"Come here Harp you need a diaper change," I say to my grinning one and a half-year-old little sister.

She tries to run away smiling wildly.

"No, you don't!" I say scooping her up before she can get two feet away.

I lay her on the couch and undo the buttons on her onesie.

"Holy crap Harper! You stink so bad!" I say waving a hand in front of my face while plugging my nose with the other my eyes watering.

She just giggles and grabs both her feet. I finish changing her just as Kaden comes down the stairs rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey, buddy, you hungry?" I ask the still tired three-year-old.

"Yeah," His voice a croak from just waking up.

"Okay, I'll make you some cereal come on," I say taking his hand and leading him to the medium size kitchen.

"Which one do you want?" I ask opening the cabinet that has the cereal in it.

"Um, that one!" He says excitedly pointing to the Cheerios.

"Haha, okay," I reply laughing at his enthusiasm while grabbing them and taking it over to the counter so I can get a bowl and the milk.

"Okay, come on let's go to the table," I say after I make the cereal and get a spoon walking over to the wooden table my dad made. "Hey, what do you say punk?"

He just looks at me with a blank look on his face.

"Say thank you," I say to him.

"Thank you," He says already shoveling the cheerios into his mouth.

"Ella!" I call to my sister.

"What?" She calls back.

"Do you have Harry?" I ask still yelling.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, thanks!"

She doesn't answer so I just shrug and go to get Qiana to do her chore which is cleaning the living room.

"Qi," I say walking into the school room to see her and Kyla playing with Barbie's. "Come do your chore please."

"But Ash, I want to play with Kyla." She says pouting.

"Qiana, we have this fight every morning so I'm not doing this again," I say rubbing my forehead with my fingertips.

"Ugh, fine," She says sassily while still pouting.

"Hey, Ky," I say using my nickname for Kyla. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, playing with dolls," She answers struggling with all the "L"s.

"Okay, don't make a mess okay?"

"Otay," She says without a care in her voice.

I smile while shaking my head and walking out of the room. I hear a shriek right when I get into the living room and already know what happened. Sure enough, I look at the table to see Kaden and Harper fighting over his cereal. Harper is winning.

Harper grabs the bowl and yanks it out of Kaden's hands spilling milk and cheerios everywhere in the process.

'Let the crazy begin,' I think while going to grab a rag to clean it up.