Quiet vs. Loud

Breakfast and Basements

*****    Rayne’s POV   *****

The next morning, I was woken up when Jackson jumped on my bed and landed on me.  I sat up and signed “Good morning Goofy!  To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your ugly face first thing in the morning?”  Jackson signed back “Good morning to you too Cruella!  I don’t have an ugly face.  That’s Jayce.  I thought you would like to see something awesome when you woke up, so here I am!”  I laughed and leaned over and gave him a hug.  Then I climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom, which is connected to my closet, to get dressed while Jackson went to wake up Jayce and Whit.  After I was dressed, I went downstairs to let the dogs out and start breakfast.

When I got to the family room, Zipper and Shadow were still lying in their beds, but Riley was sitting by the gate, patiently waiting.  After I opened the back door, I opened the gate and called the dogs.  Zipper and Shadow ran to the back door, but Riley stayed by me.  I knew that, until he got used to the new house, he would stay be either me or Jackson at all times.  I leaned down and patted him on the head, and gave him the signal for “Out.”  With that, he ran out the door to the backyard to join the other dogs.  Then I went into the kitchen to get the dogs’ food together and figure out what to fix the family for breakfast.

By the time I had the dogs’ bowls ready, Jackson had made it downstairs, so I gave him Riley’s bowl while I took the other two bowls and we went out in the backyard.  Jackson put Riley’s bowl down at one end of the patio and I took the other two to the opposite end of the patio.  Shadow tries to take Riley’s food, so we have to separate them when they eat.

After the dogs ate, Jackson and I went back inside to start on breakfast for the family.  I asked Jackson what he wanted to eat, and without any hesitation he signed “Pancakes and bacon.”  I smiled and got the stuff out to make pancakes.  I started the bacon on one skillet, and got the other one ready for pancakes.  My mom bought a lot of molds for pancakes when Jayce and Whit were little, and I still use them.  I made dinosaurs for Whit, surfboards for Jayce, dogs for Jackson and plain for me.  I also made a special one for each of my brothers.  It’s in the shape of the sign language sign for “I Love You.”  Mom bought that mold when we learned Jackson was deaf, and every time I make pancakes, all my brothers get one.

Finally, when everything was cooked, Jayce and Whit showed up to eat.  I handed them their plates and we all sat down to eat.  Mom and Evan had gotten up early for work that day, so they didn’t eat with us.  But Mom had left a note on the fridge saying that they would be home early and Evan would cook out on the grill.  After breakfast had been eaten, or should I say devoured, Whit and Jayce cleaned up the kitchen while Jackson and I went and got the dog bowls from the backyard.  When we walked outside, I could hear someone yelling from the direction of Riker’s house.  I looked over and Riker was sitting on the roof of the shed that is on the side of his house.  I smiled at him and yelled “Good morning!  What are you doing up there?”

Riker yelled back “Waiting for you.  I was gonna come over when I got up, but I didn’t know how late you would sleep so I just decided to sit up here and wait until either I saw you or my family came looking for me.  But now I know you’re up, so if it’s ok, can I come over?  My butt is falling asleep since I have been sitting here for so long.”

I laughed and told him to come on over, and if any of the rest of his family was up, they could come as well.  Then I turned and walked over to Jackson, who had his back to me.  I tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned around, I told him that the new neighbors were coming over to meet him, Jayce and Whit.  He looked a little nervous, but I told him that I had already told Riker’s family about him and Jayce, and they didn’t seem to mind.  I told Jackson that Riker’s brother Rocky was also 19, and their brother Ryland was 16, just like Whit and Jayce.  I also told him that Riker had another brother Ross, a sister Rydel, and a best friend/brother Ellington Ratliff, but everyone calls him Ratliff.  Jackson still looked a little nervous, but I just signed that everything would be ok, and we walked inside.  I found Jayce and Whit in the family room playing Xbox.  I told them that the neighbors were coming over and they needed to behave.  Whit just ignored me, but Jayce got the same nervous look that Jackson had earlier, so again, I told him that Riker and his family were told everything, and they were ok with it.  When I mentioned that Ryland was their age, Whit and Jayce both smiled.  Whit started talking about finally having someone to hang out with, and Jayce started signing, asking me what kinds of stuff the Lynch’s like to do.  I smiled and told them both to calm down.  Then I looked at them and told both of them that if they wanted to meet the neighbors, they had to get dressed.  I had just realized that they had both come downstairs in their boxers.  So they ran upstairs to get dressed.

After a few minutes, I heard the doorbell and the lights in the house started flashing.  They do that when the doorbell rings so Jackson will know someone is at the door.  I went to open the door, and found all 5 Lynch kids there as well at Ratliff.  I let everyone in and led them to the family room to meet my brothers.  I made the introductions, and immediately, Ryland, Ross, and Whit took off to Whit’s room to play xBox.  I told Jayce he could go too, but he signed that he wanted to go to the basement to practice.  I told him ok, and he took off.  So now it’s just me, Jackson, Riker, Rydel and Ratliff in the family room.  After a few minutes, we heard loud music coming from the basement.  Riker asked me what it was and I said “Instead of telling you, let me show you.”  I looked at Jackson, and he was smiling.  He could feel the beat of the music in the floor, and I knew he was excited to get down there.  So I led everyone except Jackson to the basement.  He had already beat me to the basement door and was halfway down the stairs by the time I got to the door.  I turned to everyone and said “Before we go downstairs, I have to warn you, the basement is a little crazy.  We all got to decorate a small part of it any way we wanted, and our favorite things are down here.  I hope you like it.”  Then, we walked down the stairs.

A/N:

Sorry if this chapter is a little weird.  I didn't have a lot of dialog in here because I couldn't figure out what everyone would say.  Next chapter, we find out what's in the basement.