Chapter 1
*Maddie's POV*
"Goodnight, Hazel," I said, tucking my daughter into bed. It was February 5th, 2034 and I'd just celebrated Hazel's seventh birthday. Alex was turning thirteen in April and Drake was going to be eleven in July. I left Hazel's room, I went to check on the boys. Alex was dunking a ball in the net we had moved into his room and Drake was sitting on his bed playing a video game.
"YES!" Drake shouted. "I beat my high score!"
"You're supposed to be in bed," I said. "and, Alex, you should be studying for mid-terms."
"But, Mom!" Alex said, sinking another basket. "I want to play basketball!" I really didn't want to turn him off from his dream, especially since it was mine too, but he really needed to study.
"If you aren't going to study, go to bed," I told him, reluctantly.
"How about, we play one-on-one and then I go to bed," Alex suggested.
"In your room?" I asked.
"No, in the backyard," Alex said.
"It's after nine, Alex, and dark outside," I told him. He scowled. "Throw it to me." I gave in.
"Sure," he said, bounce-passing it. I turned around towards the door. "Hey you never said anything about confiscating it!"
"I didn't, did I," I said.
"No, you-" He started. I sunk it back on. "Oh." I turned around and smiled.
"Now, go to bed," I said, in triumph. "That means you, too, Drake." Alex surrendered and got in bed.
"But, I need to get to the end of the level!" Drake complained.
"Well, hurry up," I told him. I never understood video games or why they're so entrancing, but I do know who got Drake hooked, Joey. So whenever Joey comes to visit, all they do is sit on Drake's bed playing video games. So, not much different than Drake's normal life, unfortuanately. Even though he was always playing video games, he manages to stay in shape by switching to exercise games, sometimes, instead of just sitting on the bed.
"And... done!" Drake said, slapping his controller onto the table beside him. He walked over to the console and switched it off along with the TV.
"Now, go to bed," I repeated.
"Fine, fine," he said, putting his hands up. He got in bed.
"Goodnight, guys," I said, turning off the light. I left the room and sighed. Every. Single. Night. I went through that every night. And, in the morning I'd have to argue with Hazel about not wearing makeup until she was twelve then wrestle Drake out of bed and yell at Alex to come inside five times to go to school. Well, besides this rut I was stuck in, I owned my husband's basketball team and life was pretty good, but somewhat boring at times.
I walked across the hall to the bedroom. Diggie was lying on the bed watching TV.
"Why is it that you never take responsibility for getting the kids ready for bed and ready for school?" I asked, flopping down on the bed in exhaustion.
"I don't know," Diggie replied. "I gues you just normally do it, and it doesn't occur to me to do it for you."
"Whatever," I sighed. Rolling over, I ignored the TV and fell asleep.