Inferno Part 2

~7~ Tutor

Ellie's POV

I get home from school and I start a load of laundry.
I cannot keep up with all of this laundry. Having 8 people, sometimes 9 with Trace, in this house, the laundry is reaching desperate. When the baby comes, I'm going to sink. I don't usually like Taylor helping with laundry. He shrinks things all the time and I can't tell you how many pink shirts the guys have ended up with as a result of Taylor.

Sasha is so busy, she can't do it. Getting that girl to take time to eat is a challenge. Mason is crazy busy now that he's got the kids. The teens could start helping, but I'm so anal about laundry I know I would just harp on them. It's my own fault, so I just suck it up and deal.

Mason and the kids come in, and Josie immediately goes to the bathroom. Poor girl. My heart shattered for her. She said she woke up in the middle of the night and her sheets were covered. She was too embarrassed to tell Sasha and Mason.

Mason comes in the laundry room and gives me a small smile.

"Thanks," he says, upset.

I nod and whisper "Can I go up to the apartment in a bit and grab her sheets? She doesn't want you to do it"

Mason immediately knows what I'm talking about and nods. "Yeah. I wish she wouldn't be so embarrassed about it."

"You've never been a teenage girl," I smile gently.

"Thank goodness," he laughs.

I go out and go upstairs, stripping her sheets. I'm going to have to spend some time treating this to get the stain out.

When I get downstairs, I quickly throw the basket in the laundry room, so I don't draw attention. Dylan and Josie are at the table, starting on homework. Luke and Trace walk in, and I can immediately tell that he's going to be a pill about the tutor.

As soon as he sees Taylor in the living room, he starts in.

"Do you have any idea what mom did?" He asks with an attitude.

Taylor immediately stands up and starts walking over to Luke, getting in his face. Luke is about an inch taller than Taylor. Taylor is 6' so he isn't short, but most of the men in our family are tall. Taller than Taylor. I think it bothers him a little bit. The only person shorter than Taylor is Wes, and only by an inch.

"Come again?" Taylor asks, matching Luke's attitude.

"She hired the biggest nerd in school to tutor me!!!"

Taylor just stares at him.

"You're not going to say anything?" Luke asks

"Yeah. I'm going to say that this girl is going to be a guest in my home. In my home, everyone is welcomed and respected. If you disrespect her in my home, you're going to be real sorry. Am I clear?" He asks darkly.

Josie and Dylan heard all of that. They look at each other for a moment before going back to their homework. I'm glad they did. They need to know that they are respected. I don't know if they've ever been respected before.

Luke continues to glare at Taylor.

"You done trying to act big and bad or were you wanting to continue?" Taylor asks innocently.

"I want to continue"

"Oh, by all means then, go ahead," Taylor says, bowing slightly to him.

"This isn't fair. Every single day until graduation? Dad, I still have baseball and track."

Taylor nods. "Mom told me she worked that all out with Kelly. They are working around your schedule."

"I don't want to do this!" Luke yells.