To Steal An Egg

Chapter #1

The dark lighting and the unfamiliar sound of a beast awakened Lana as she lay in her bed frightened. The howling wind flew through her window and the screaming voice behind her seemed to be coming closer. The candle outside was faint, but easy to pick out from the dark shadows in the forest. She could hear nothing besides her own breath and the rain tapping on the roof. She was safe for now; but wait - a candle in the rain? How was that possible? She looked outside her bedroom window when-

"Stop!" Carter interrupted.

"It's too scary. Bedtime stories aren't good when they scare us!" Jack added.

"Oh, come on!" I said. "We didn't even get to the good part, boys! It's not THAT bad. C'mon! It looks like Victoria is having the time of her life, aren't you sweetie?"

"Sure, Mom," Tori answered, rolling her eyes.

"Is this story not the kind of horror story you wanted?" I asked.

"Nice guess, Mom! You get an A+!" she said cheerfully, but in an obviously sarcastic tone. "What do you want? A trophy or a medal? Or both?!"

"Oh, shut up, Vic!" yelled Timothy.

"You guys! Why can't I read a bedtime story without all of my kids arguing! And it's not even about 'who gets the bed tonight'!"

"I call dibs!" Tim shouted.

"I second that!" Jack quickly said. "He did get less ice cream than us."

"Awww..." Carter whined.

"Boys! That's not the point! I'm gonna leave if you keep up with this. The story isn't real and we're not going to fight! Deal?" I yelled. Being a mother was a bajillion times harder than I expected.

"Yes Ma'am! I will listen to whatever you order Mary-the-boss-of-the-world!" Tim saluted.

"Listen, Timothy, you call me 'Mom', OK?" I said angrily.

"Yes Ma'am; I mean Mom," he said.

"See-ya," said Victoria as she got up to leave, grabbing her headphones and phone on the way. I watched her as she slammed the door after she stormed out.

"Well, I suppose I'll turn in," said Tim.

"Niyee-nite! Sweep tight! Don't wet the bed bugs bite!" said Rosey. I looked down at her as she bounced in my lap. How could she be so happy all the time after her father passed away? Well, duh. She wasn't alive when it happened. Neither were the twins, Jack and Carter. Well, they were both one, so neither of them could remember him at all. I probably miss him the most. Victoria had turned seven that day and Tim was four. But that was precisely seven years ago and all of them are grown now. Wait, that meant Victoria turned 14 today! "Oh, shoot," I said.

"What, Mommy?" Jack asked.

"Tori turned 14 today and I forgot! Oh, that's why she was acting funny today! How could I forget my own kid's birthday? I am a terrible mother!" I ranted.

"I be foreteed, Mommy! You beed good mommy! You not teweebole!" Rosey said, bouncing up and down. I looked into her curls and blew on her head. She looked up immediately and giggled. "Mommy is funnunnunnyyyyyyyy!"

"Let's go, Rosey-Wosey! Do you want to wish Tori a happy birthday?" I asked as I picked her up.

"Yessss! I be foreteed! Happy buwfday to Towi!" she laughed.

"Sure, Mom," said Tim sarcastically. "You go and join Tori's pity party. I'll be in the room sleeping, so don't wake me up 'til morning."

I opened the door and looked back at Jack and Carter, who were making themselves a bed on the shaggy floor. I sighed. One bed and five kids. Six kids in a few months. Well, two beds if you include mine, but I need my own bed. Rosey sleeps with me and so will the new baby. So four boys and one girl with one bed to fight over. Plus, Victoria usually sleeps on the couch anyway. So, three boys and one bed to fight over. Either way, it didn't work.