Inferno

~19~ Shoplifting

Ellie's POV

It's been several weeks since the tornado. I'm not going to say that hearing Taylor yell at me felt good. It didn't. I always secretly wondered what it would be like if he ever got so mad at me he started yelling.... Well, he did and let me tell ya... I don't care for it to happen again.

Megan and I are at the mall, doing some shopping. We go into a clothing store to get some shirts for the boys. The place was having an amazing sale, and we decided to get them some things. As we're shopping I start to notice something funny. A couple teenagers are in the corner, acting really weird. The more I look at them, the more I start to realize... they are our teenagers...

"Megan, look" I say quietly.

She looks over to where I'm staring and let's out a disgusted breath. "You've got to be kidding me," she says.

Then she gets out her phone and quickly dials Wes.

"Wesley, get to Ellie's, now. I'm bringing Trace there in just a minute" she says as she listens for his response.

"Ellie and I are staring at them right now. Trace is about to shoplift a shirt" she says softly. Then she hangs up and looks at me before marching over there.

"Trace Nathaniel Greene, you're dead" she says, grabbing him by his ear roughly.

"Mom!" He says surprised as he winces in pain.

"Ouch. Let go" he whines as he tries to escape her grasp.

"What do you have to say for yourself, young man?" I ask, looking at Luke.

"I didn't do anything" he says, holding up his hands to show me.

"Don't care. You're guilty by association. Let's go" I say, motioning for him to start walking. He sighs, but doesn't argue.

We silently walk to Megan's car. As soon as we get in, she starts yelling. "Is this the first time you've shoplifted?"

"Yes ma'am" he says, staring out the window.

"Don't you dare lie to me. Dad is already headed to Ellie's" she says, angry. My sweet, gentle friend. It's so weird to see her like this.

He sighs and shakes his head. "It's not the first time" he says, with a tear falling down his cheek.

"Start talking" she yells.

He spends the rest of the ride home telling her what he has stolen before.

She is so mad she's shaking.

We get home and she grabs his ear again, dragging him into the house.

"Mom, you have to stop. You're going to pull my ear off" he says, already about to cry.

When we get in, Wes and Taylor are already waiting for us in the living room. The look on Wes' face was priceless. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's seen Megan like this, but seeing Trace being drug into the house by his ear, was pretty comical. Emma and Sasha are there too, watching it all.

"Girls, go upstairs" Taylor says quietly. They go up without another word. I'm sure they're going to spy, though.

"Let go of his ear before you really do rip it off" Wes says, trying not to laugh.

She lets go of it, and Trace immediately grabs it, and tries to rub the pain away.

"Start talking" Wes says, furious.

"I found a shirt that I wanted, but I didn't have enough money" he says quietly, looking at the ground.

"So you were going to steal it?" Wes asks, getting madder.