Family

Chapter Fourteen

Andrew watches as Nicole lets everyone else get their food. First, she told Maddie to make her plate and then said to everyone else they could. Andrew's the last person and he hands her his plate grabbing himself another one. "Make yours." He says and she looks down at her plate. "You don't have to worry that she won't have food if you eat, there is plenty here and since we are going to be staying with you we're going to help to keep it filled." She nods her head and grabs a little scoop. He wants to protest but remembers that her stomach can't hold a lot yet.

Everyone sits in the living room. Maddie sitting pretzel legged with a pillow in her lap and her plate on the pillow. Max sitting next to her, his plate in his lap, and then Andra next to him. Nicole takes a seat on the floor by Maggie and smiles as she's got as many toys as she can hold in her hand. "We should bring a tv over here," Andra suggests and Maddie looks over at her.

"We don't really watch tv. We play board games and card games..oh and go to the park a lot." Maddie says and it makes Nicole smile. "Can we go to the park after dinner?" Maddie asks. Nicole looks outside and shakes her head.

"It's gonna rain an it's too dark. Maybe tomorrow." She says, but Maddie shakes her head.

"Have school tomorrow." She says and Nicole realizes she forgot that she was still going to school.

"We'll try ta fit it in, ok?" Nicole asks and Maddie nods her head before talking about her new art project. Nicole takes a few bites of her food but doesn't eat much more than that. She lays her head next to Maggie's and smiles. "What ahr ya doin'?" Maggie giggles and continues to try and put all the toys that are in her hand into her mouth. "I think it's almost time for bed." She says watching Maggie rub her eyes. "Ima take her ta bed." She announces picking Maggie up and walking down to her room.

Andrew watches Nicole leave the room and glances back to her plate. It's almost all still there, but he doesn't know whether to push her or just let it be. "Can we play rummy?" He hears Maddie ask.

"Sure, where are the cards?" Max answers. Maddie gets up and walks behind the couch. Max looks behind and sees all sorts of board games and three stacks of cards.

"Does everyone know how to play?" She asks looking towards everyone. They all nod their heads and she smiles. She begins handing out cards.

Nicole comes back a few minutes later and sees everyone playing a game. She leans over to see what Andrew's got and realizes from the set up they are playing rummy. "Careful, she's good," Nicole warns looking at each of them.

"Nikki, shhh they didn't know that." She says and Nicole covers her mouth with a smile and whispers a sorry. The game is quick and Maddie is the first to go out with her cards. "Nikki, you wanna join?" She asks and Nicole nods.

"Sure, but now I gotta catch up with points." She says noticing that Andra is writing each person's points down.

"Max you really do suck," Andrew says as Max continues to get in the negatives.

"Shut it, I swear my cards are jinxed." He grumbles as everyone adds their points up.

"Maddie won with 20 more points than Nicole, then Andrew, me, and Max with negative 13." She says putting the paper and pen down in the middle of the floor.

"I almost had ya girly." Nicole says to Maddie.

"But ya didn't." She says and Nicole tickles her sides causing her to scream and push Nicole away. Nicole stops and the two smile at each other.

"Time for bed, say good nigh'." Nicole says getting off of the hard ground and cracking her back. Maddie gives them all hugs goodnight and Nicole notices that Maddie gives a kiss on Max's cheek before running over to her. Nicole looks at him and he raises his hands. She squints her eyes at him, but follows Maddie into her room.