Here's chapter two! This one is mainly about Ryland because he's my favorite.
Ages
Riker-9
Rydel-8
Rocky-6
Ross-5
Ryland-4
Chapter Two- Left Out
Four year old Ryland ran upstairs with his red power ranger doll in his hand. "Ross! Ross!" He screamed as he ran into their room.
Ross looked up from the card game he was playing with Rocky. "What do you want Ryland?" he asked, annoyed.
"Power Rangers?" Ryland held out his toy.
Rocky snickered. "Power Rangers are for babies."
Ross was torn. He wanted to play Power Rangers, but Rocky said they were babies, and he didn't want to look like a baby in front of his big brother.
"Power Rangers are for babies, Ry. Besides, I'm playing Go Fish with Rocky, so go away."
Ryland's bottom lip quivered. He turned on his heel before running out of the room to find his two oldest siblings.
Riker and Rydel were on the living room watching a movie. Ryland walked in just as the Smurf's started singing their song.
"Hey Rydel, do you wanna come play-" Ryland was cut off.
"Shut up Ryland! They're singing their song! Go away!"
Tears spilled out of Ryland's eyes as he ran downstairs. Looking around, he saw the dress up closet. He stood on his tiptoes and reached for the handle, pulling the door open. He looked behind him before sliding into the closet, sitting on a pile of clothes.
He looked at his Power Ranger. "Looks like you're my only friend now," He whispered before crying himself to sleep.
Later that evening, when Stormie was checking on her kids, she noticed something was wrong.
"Riker, you haven't seen Ryland have you?"
Riker shook his head, not shifting his gaze from the television screen.
Stormie sighed before going upstairs to find Ross and Rocky. "Boys, have you seen Ry?"
Ross shook his head. "He went downstairs a while ago. Said something about wanting to play Power Rangers."
She walked out of the room, running into her husband on the stairs. "Have you seen the baby?" She asked him.
"Ryland? He went downstairs a while ago, why?"
"Nobody knew where he was, and for some reason Ross didn't want to play Power Rangers with him."
"Let's go find him then."
They set off down the stairs, passing the living room where Riker and Rydel were glued to the TV.
When they reached the basement, they were surprised by the silence. Ryland was the loudest child they had.
"Ry?" She called.
They looked around searching for something out of place when Mark's eyes landed on the dress up closet. The door was slightly open. He crept over to it, gesturing slowly for Stormie to follow. He opened the door, wincing when it squeaked.
There he was. Their youngest child, tear stains trailing down his face, chubby little hands clutching his toy to his chest.
Mark reached down and picked him up, the child not stirring from his sleep. He carried Ryland up the stairs to their room where he laid him down on the bed.
"Go get the boys and bring them to the living room," He whispered to his wife.
She nodded and left. He went downstairs into the living room, where he promptly turned the TV off.
"Daddy!" Rydel complained. "We were watching that!"
"You guys can watch it later. Mom and I want to talk to you guys," he said sternly.
Stormie walked in with a confused Ross and Rocky trailing behind her.
"Sit down," she told them. They jumped onto the couch next to their older siblings.
"What happened with Ry this morning?" Mark asked.
The four looked at each other.
"Well you see-"
"He was being annoying!"
"I didn't-"
A loud spout of excuses came from their mouths.
"Quiet!" Mark shouted. They silenced and shrank back into the couch.
"Ryland is your little brother. Sometimes he is going to be annoying, but at one point you were all just like that! What you did today was wrong, and I just found him asleep in the dress up closet downstairs, so when he wakes up I want all of you to go apologize. Now go to your rooms."
They all nodded guiltily before standing and walking upstairs.
Mark sighed, flopping onto the couch. Stormie sat next to him, rubbing his back.
"It's happening," He groaned. "They're forming bonds and Ry is being left out."
"This can be easily fixed honey. I'm sure Riker and Rydel would understand if we explained," Stormie soothed.
Suddenly a scream came from upstairs. They jumped up and ran up the stairs towards their room, where the screaming was coming from.
Then it stopped. Complete silence. Opening the door as quietly as possible, their hearts melted at the sight in front of them.
Ryland was crying, probably having woken up from a nightmare, and Riker was rocking him back and forth in his arms. Rydel was stroking his hair while Rocky and Ross were sitting on the bed next to them. They were all singing to him.
"You know, I take back what I said earlier," Mark whispered. Stormie just smiled and nodded her head.