Living Life With The Parker Boys

Chapter Twenty- Deal with the Devil

Chapter Twenty

Deal with the Devil

Everyone was in from school and work by the time I made my way back to the house. Beth was fluttering around the kitchen whilst Kenny and Dustin were at the dining table drawing pictures. 

“Where is everyone?” I asked, the usual bustle was nowhere to be heard or seen.

“The question is young lady, where have you been?” Beth asked pointing the spatular at me with one brow raised. 

“Please, be rational about this, put the spatular down.” I joked, holding my hands up in defense. She rolled her eyes but placed it on the countertop. Placing her hands on her hips she continued to stare at me until I answered.

“I found a clearing in the woods, I sat there for a while.” I said shrugging my shoulders. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Wow, I haven’t been out there in a long time. I’d almost forgotten about that, it’s beautiful isn’t it?” She said, smiling at me. 

“Sure,” I shrugged. I saw her smile falter for a second before she busied herself over the stove. 

“Why don’t you get changed out of those muddy clothes before dinner.” She suggested. I nodded, quickly going over to Dustin and Kenny to rustle their hair.

“Hey!” They protested. I chuckled but stopped short when they grinned wickedly up at me. I started running before they had even gotten up out of their chairs. I could hear the pitter-patter of their feet as they ran after me, their laughter rung in the air like a beautiful melody. They were so full of joy and happiness like every kid should be. 

I’d looked behind me for a second when I went crashing into someone. I looked up at Richard who rose his eyebrows in questioning. 

“Help?” I said motioning to the two rascals hot on my tail. 

He patted my back before saying, “You’re on your own this time, kid.” He went away, passing Dustin and Kenny chuckling. I didn’t have time to move before they tackled me down on the floor at the bottom of the staircase by pushing my legs out from beneath me. Thankfully the floor was carpet and not marble. They both jumped on me with victorious smiles.

“Fine, you got me. Now what?” I asked. They both looked at each other not sure what to do, clearly they hadn’t thought it through. I went to lift Kenny off of me when he squirmed under my hands, giggling. I rose my eyebrows and he froze.

“Do I sense that someone is ticklish?” I asked. He shook his head wildly before I attacked him with the tickle monster. 

“Run!” Kenny shouted to Dustin in between laughter.

“Oh no you don’t.” I said as Dustin was about to make an escape. Their laughter lightened my heavy heart and it was all I needed to get through the rest of the day. Someone cleared their throat which brought my attention away from them and to where the noise had come from on the balcony at the top of the stairs. Not one but six Parker boys were stood staring at me as I was sprawled out on the floor, my hair was no doubt a mess from where Kenny and Dustin had reached out to mess it up and my face probably flustered.

“What the heck is happening?” Ash asked in bewilderment. 

“Brooke’s the tickle monster!” Kenny and Dustin screamed before running off and leaving me to suffer. I pushed myself off the ground waiting for someone to say something. When nobody did I decided to just go upstairs to get changed like I’d originally planned. I was on the top step when Ash who was closest to me finally opened his mouth.