The Richardsons

Video #9

"Welcome to a day in my life. I'm currently traveling by car right now. In my father's car, going to New Hampshire." I don't know what to say, ugh, my tongue feels twisted.

"Shut up, you are making my ears bleed with your cringe."

I roll my eyes and put my camera back in my backpack.

Lately, there hasn't been as many business vacations as there normally is. Normally, we go on 2-4 a month. Last month, there was one. My father says that Broïsé is doing fairly well and a business trip is either to venture out into different areas or fix a dispute.

My mother isn't coming with us because of an agent meeting, she will come a day later.

And when my mother's not in the front seat, Alexa calls shotgun. Probably because she thinks that because she's older, that she can have more authority over me. I just let her think what she wants to think, as long as she's not always on my back 24/7. And normally, the younger sister is the annoying one, the older one just nags and nags like crazy.

I know people worse than Alexa, even AP kids that are overbearing alone by their presence. You can just feel that they are that one chatty friend that will talk your ear off until you die.

I kind of feel bad for my father whenever Alexa is shotgun. She either complains about where we are going or starts to be annoying. And when we go slow, she gets mad and says that she wants to drive the car.

Starting...... now.

"Dad, look at the flow of traffic! They are going the right speed while you are slower than a turtle."

"I am obeying the speed limit."

"Yeah yeah, just follow the speed limit. We'll have more time if we go faster, dad!"

"Do you want me to get in a crash? Answer me."

Alexa fell silent.

My parents when they get angry have a little weird tiny to their voice, it's like they are about to explode in anger that they speak so quietly that it's scary even if you know what's going to happen next.

And that's why I don't talk on road trips, I don't want to get yelled at or scolded in such a scary way. And that also might be why my parents secretly favor me, because I don't have a mouth and I obey them, unlike my sister that always throws a hissy fit whenever she has to pick up her shoes that she left at the front door.

My phone started to ring halfway through the trip. Mom is calling me.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom! What's up?"

"Oh nothing."

There was a strange static on her line, maybe she's in the kitchen? Static always happens in the kitchen, always.

"How far are you guys in the road trip?"

"An hour and a half."

"Is there any major problems?"

I look at Alexa.

"Alexa is in the shotgun."

Unfortunately, Alexa heard me.

"You little-..."

"Alexa Opal Richardsons! Do you want me to say your full name including the confirmation name that you picked out?" My dad yelled at her.

"No! I don't like when Kat talks about me when I am right there!"

"I have mom on the phone, don't think that she won't do nothing." I growl at Alexa.

"Fine! Let mom do whatever she wants!" Alexa snapped at me.

"Alexa Opal Agnes Richardsons! Watch your mouth!"

Everybody was silent.

"I get I got to go."

"Ok, bye mom."

I ended the call and the rest of the car ride was silent as could be. Not even the radio was playing.

About an hour later, we arrived in New Castle, but we saw a car there as well. It was white, and the only person to have a white car was my mom. For the most part, my dad and I were confused about it, until we went up the stairs and found my mother cooking dinner for us.

"I guess this is a little bit of a surprise?" My mother said as we walked in.

"Mom!" I gasp. "How did you get here?"

She giggled.

"I was actually calling my agent through a call in my car, so I drove here a little earlier than you guys. I arrived at about 2:00."

I looked at the clock on the wall, it was 4:05.

"Today, I am making salmon and lemon with asparagus and a little dinner roll each." She put a pot on the burner. "For now, just unpack and go to your rooms."

Alexa and I went through a door on the first floor while Dad went upstairs. I often take the floor on the bottom, while Alexa takes the one closer to the door. It's colder down here, but that's why blankets exist at night.

Just as I finish unpacking, I hear my mother call for dinner. I run upstairs and see that my mother prepared a wonderful feast for us. She really does know how to cook and prepare food so well.

We all sat down and started to eat our salmon and food.

"So, I bet you heard that Alexa was not well behaved in the car." My dad was poking his fork through his salmon.

"Dad! Don't tell mom!"

My dad just rolled his eyes.

"How so?" My mother asked.

"She thought I was driving too slow on the road and she was giving Kat an attitude for talking bad about her."

"Pffff, that's nothing." Alexa bragged.

My mother looked at her.

"Do you think that saying that makes everything any more better? You think that we let you get away with everything?" My mother's voice turned cold.

Alexa stayed silent, until she made a mean face at my mom.

And my mother noticed.

"Fine! If you think that an attitude like that is ok in front of us, then you're grounded when we get back! That means no gym, no phone, and no friends for a week!" My mother yelled.

"No!" Alexa started to cry. She soon left the table and mouthed "I hate you" to me. I snickered a little bit as she ran away.

After dinner, my parents set up a hidden camera attached to my father's laptop as we watched Alexa secretly eat her food. She must have assumed that we were watching tv, and she was very cautious as she ate.