Yours, Mine & Ours

7

We were straightening up the house working as one family when Frank and Helen announced they were leaving and Mrs.Munion is in charge.

I walked outside to check on the girls when paint splattered all over Naoko, Harry and I. Harry and Naoko thought the other purposely did it causing them to splatter paint and water at each other causing me to be in the cross fire.

This lead to everyone else fighting with each other. We all gathered in the walkway of the house spraying paint, water, glue and such at each other when William came downstairs trying to defuse to the fight. A bucket of blue paint came down flying from the sky spilling all over us.

The front door opened to reveal Helen and Frank.

"stop" Frank yelled before he gliding across the floor landing in glue.

"You recked the house, you trashed the yard, and you painted the pig. You turned a 200 year old paneled foyer into a Jackson-" Frank lectured stuttering to find the right word.

"Pollock" Helen answered

"Pollock" he finished.

"It was her fault for wearing my-" Phoebe started but was interrupted by Frank.

"I am not finished" he said raising his finger at Phoebe.

"Now your mother and I know that you do not get along, but you are just going to pretend you like each other until you actually do. Until you've learned why we think you are all so terrific, we demand a level of civility and cooperation or I will bring the hammer down" Frank sternly said as he marched around with a bucket on his foot.

"Is it a real hammer?" Aldo asked slightly frightened

"No no it's just a metaphor" Helen said reassuringly

"I'm scared" Aldo responded

"Don't be scared Aldo" Frank said

"Should I go get the hammer sir?" Ethan asked

"It's not a real hammer it's just a pretend hammer. I only said that for effect" Frank said to Ethan

"Now we would all like you to think about what we just said. Expect for maybe the part about the hammer" Helen said looking to Frank

"Yeah let's just forget about the hammer" Frank said frustrated his message got lost in the midst of hammer talk.

"First let's have a group hug" Helen said all the North kids including myself went in for a hug. Frank and his children hesitantly gathered as well. After the hug we were sent to work cleaning the mess we made.

Later that night I went to William's room to see if he would help me with my homework. I knocked a few times but nobody answered. I opened the door slowly to see his room empty. I then went to Phoebe's room to see both her and Christina gone as well. Nobody was in their rooms.

Feeling in the dark I headed back to my room to finish my homework and call it a night.
———
Over the next few days I noticed William, Phoebe, Christina and Dylan giving each other looks and talking for a few seconds secretively. 

I walked into the kitchen to see Helen in the fridge holding a handful of sausages.

"Ugh guys where are my baby greens?"

"Oh looks like Frank did some shopping" Phoebe said with a smile.

"What is that smell?" Helen said disgusted by the sight of meat.

"That's barbaric" Dylan said with a smile. I looked at them giving a raised eyebrow but they both shrugged it off, acting as though they had no idea.

Later that day I walked into the family room to grab my book when I saw both Aldo and Ethan drawing on Frank's board.

"Guys what are you doing?" I asked quickly grabbing the chalk from their hands.

"STOP" Frank yelled

"Isn't it pretty?" Aldo asked innocently

"Why would you let them draw on my chalkboard?" Frank asked me sternly.

"I-I-" I wasn't standing there unsure of how to speak. Just as Frank reprimanded the boys Helen walked in.

"Uh oh. Now boys do you think that was a good idea?" Helen asked

"No" they said together

"Okay say sorry and go play" Helen said before turning her attention back to me. "Laney did you allow the boys to draw on the chalkboard?" Helen asked.

"No I-" I began but was interrupted by Frank.

"I walked in with her standing next to the boys with chalk in her hand. Now I know you technically don't live her and may not like the rules put in place but this is unacceptable" Frank said meanly.

The whole house had gathered around now listening.

"Frank I doubt she would allow the boys to do this" Helen said coming to my defense but I couldn't listen anymore. I dropped the chalk running straight upstairs to my room bawling my eyes out. I pushed through William and Phoebe who both tried grabbing my arm.

"Frank know that was mean and uncalled for Helen" said quite loudly. It took a lot for Helen to yell and be mean.

Outside my door I heard Dylan, William, Christina and Phoebe talking. I pressed my ear against the door.

"Do you think it's working?" Phoebe asked as the door slam shut.

"Does that answer your question?" Dylan rhetorically asked. They all high fived each other.

"Great they are planning to spilt Frank and Helen up" I thought to myself. I went to bed that night skipping dinner.