Once the girl's got back from the meeting Ginger angrily pointed upstairs as Heather walked up the stairs but Noel decided she was going to test Ginger instead.
"Noel Eloise Foutley get up to your room now, I mean who taught you to beat a poor girl up I'll never know" Ginger said as Noel stood her ground.
"Like I said back at the school I'm glad I hit her and I'd do it again, she doesn't deserve to live with the way she treats people like their beneath her.
"Sounds like another person I know young lady, now march yourself up to your room or am I going to have to carry you like I used to?".
Noel sat on the bottom step grinning as Ginger made her way for her, Ginger's shadow overshadowing Noel's as she gulped and was lifted from the bottom step much to her complaints.
"Now you'll stay in here indefinitely young lady, you're just lucky I don't call Hope over here to beat you up like you did to her" Ginger said as Noel tossed a pillow at her bedroom door and it slammed shut as Ginger saw a scared Karen poking at the light in the hall.
"What are you doing Carrie Boo?, a new game that your imagination made up?, or maybe you're making an imaginary friend you know like from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends".
"No I'm trying to capture the light for a nightlight tonight mama, that way the shadow's won't come and I won't sleep with you and daddy" Karen said as her palm swiped at a sliver of light in the hall but she saw it wasn't working.
"That's weird Noel and Heather told me capturing light was as easy as swiping my palm across it and throwing it into my room".
"You have got to stop listening to them sweetie, and besides I have a solution to your shadow problem and it comes in the form of Pixie sleeping in your room with you" Ginger said as Karen's eye's brightened and Ginger smiled down at her.
"Do you really mean it mama I mean honest to goodness Pixie can sleep in my room and scare the shadows off of my walls?".
"Honest to goodness Carrie Boo see daddy and I talked and it's about time you learned that things aren't so scary in your room, it's all in your overactive imagination but don't worry mommy had an overactive imagination too when she was your age".
Karen hugged Ginger actually looking forward to bedtime as John came upstairs with Lucas who had his head in a book.
"Lou I want you to make a list of things you want for this trip, not necessities but wants and we'll go out later as soon as Karen is asleep and buy whatever is on that list".
"Tell them you want to bring a pony Lou, they can't say no to you because they said whatever you wanted to bring they'd buy it for you" Karen said as Ginger and John looked down at her with smiles on their faces.
"I think it's time we signed our little Karen up for riding lessons John, I mean she'd learn all about responsibility by caring for her horse herself".
John looked worried but nodded anyway as Karen clung to Ginger's leg glad to have a mother who would vouch for her.
"All right so I say we order something tonight so what's the verdict you two what do you feel like?, I would ask the convicts but right now their in no position to say what we have for dinner".
"I want fried chicken mama, with mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits, mac and cheese, gravy, and a chocolate cake for dessert" Karen said licking her lips and rubbing her stomach.
"I again say Noel and Heather are out of this vote, I just found Karen upstairs swiping her palm across sunlight on the hall rug so she can keep it for a nightlight tonight because the girls said it would work" Ginger said as the fried chicken idea was starting to sound really good to Lucas, John, and Ginger too.
"Guess what dada?, guess, guess, guess, guess, daddy come on why aren't you guessing what?, you have to guess that's how we play the game".
"You aren't giving me enough time to play caffeined munchkin, you're talking a mile a minute and I don't have time to answer" John said as Karen was bouncing on the heels of her feet giggling at John.
"All right let's see what could you be thinking?, hmm maybe your going to sleep in your own bed without getting scared tonight".
"You're on the right track daddy, mommy told me that Pixie could sleep in my bed with me, isn't that the coolest dada?".
"Yea real cool and your mom and I talked about it, the only way we let Pixie sleep in your room with you is if and only if you sleep in your own bed and not snuggle next to mommy and daddy".
"It's a deal daddy I mean with Pixie the super loveable, cuddle monster, attack dog she is I will have no problem's forgetting about all the scary things in my room".
Noel sneered as she skipped down the stairs and could see nothing in the kitchen being cooked for dinner.
"Let me guess we're ordering pizza for the millionth time and I'm going to be forced to eat it?, Ohh woe is me and my girl beating ways" Noel said as Ginger, John, Lucas, and Karen shook their heads no.
"We're having fried chicken with all the fixings, and why may I ask are you out of your room and torturing poor Karen by telling her she could capture sunlight?" Ginger asked as Noel sneered again and looked down at Karen.
"I hope the shadow monster doesn't get you tonight Carrie, I heard it was a full moon tonight and that's when the shadow monster strikes the most during a full moon".
"Yea well I have a guard dog tonight and her name's Pixie, so she'll scare the shadows away with one swipe of her mighty paw, and by the way it was my idea to order fried chicken because I knew how much you loved it" Karen said smirking as Noel made a disgusted face trudging up the stairs to her room.
The doorbell rang as Karen answered it and a girl wearing a plaid skirt, a white blouse, knee high socks, black boots, and a Westwood Prep blazer with insignia's and patches sewn into it smiled up at Karen.
"Well aren't you a cutie and a half, I'm Natalie Sanderson a friend of your brothers and I was wondering if I could come in and chat with him" Natalie said as Karen led Natalie to Ginger, John, and Lucas.
"Mom, dad, Karen as you already know youngest sis this is Natalie Sanderson the girl who invited me to go to prom and homecoming with her".
"Very pleased to meet you Natalie I've heard a lot, so what brings you around these parts today" Ginger asked as Natalie grinned a prized winning smile.
"Well I got to thinking that I never met Lou's family and I just wanted to pop in and see what his family was like, and what he was like out of a school surrounding".
"Noel Heather get down here and meet our guest, and Natalie you're more than welcome to stay for dinner we're having Kentucky Fried Chicken I hope you like it" John said as Natalie nodded her head as Heather and Noel walked down the stairs to find Natalie smiling at them.
'Mom what have I always told you about letting stray dogs into this house, I mean now we have to feed it and it'll keep coming back for more food" Noel said as Natalie laughed but Ginger and John were far from it.
"Noel Eloise Foutley you apologize to this girl right now, I mean where are your manners and this girl has done nothing to you" Ginger said as Noel moaned but Ginger's death stare held and Noel stared at Natalie whispering sorry.
"I couldn't quite catch that Noel please louder so everybody in this house can hear you apologize, and I want to see some forced tears in there too" John said as Noel screamed sorry from the top of her lungs.
"Good now Natalie we hear you're quite smitten with our son, so why don't you tell me what the Future Students Of America President wants with a boy like Lucas".
"Jonny stop badgering her, I mean she just got here for Pete's sake and she hasn't even taken her coat off" Ginger said as Natalie hung her coat in the Foutley's front closet and then smiled at John.
"Well Mr. Foutley Lucas is a free spirit and so am I, I mean the way he thinks it's just like he's one of those 60's protesters and I admire that about him" Natalie said as Noel and Heather's jaws hung open.
"Where do you stand in the Boogeyman laws Natalie, is he real or isn't he?, I think he is but my doggy doesn't I hope" Karen said as Natalie smirked at her.
"He doesn't exist, you just believe in him because these two knuckleheads are pressing him into your imaginative mind".
Karen stuck her tongue out at Noel and Heather as Noel and Heather did it back and Ginger stared at the three of them angrily.
"Ladies we have a guest I beg of you act ladylike, John go on out and get dinner, and take Lucas with you it may be a bonding moment". Ginger said as Lucas ran off to get in the front seat so used to having three sisters fight over it.
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John and Lucas drove off as Lucas looked at his dad and John looked back smiling at him as Lucas smiled back and Self Esteem by The Offspring blared in the background.
"Wrote her off
For the catch of the day
Practiced all the things
I would say
She came over
I lost my nerve
I took her back
Then I made her dessert
I know I'm being used
But that's ok
Because I like the abuse
I know she's playing me
But that's ok
Because I've got no self esteem" Lucas belted out as John sang along and they both roared at his.
"So dad what do you think of Natalie pretty cute huh?" I mean she's got to be a ten huh dad?" Lucas asked as John smiled and nodded at his son.
"So where do you see this relationship going Lou?, I mean doesn't Natalie seem more like a Brad Pitt trophy wife?" John asked as Lucas nodded and sighed dreamily.
"Yea but I do love watching her leave, I mean remember when you said you met mom at College and you noticed mom from the G string she was wearing?" Lucas asked as John smiled nodding.
"That will remain our little secret son, if you ever tell your mother I noticed her G string first I'd be in the doghouse for months".
Lucas made a locking motion with his fingers on his lips as John ruffled his hair and stopped at the KFC as Lucas saw GameStop and got a daddy can we please go on his face and John's heart.
"All right five minutes and you're on a shopping spree, thanks to your mother and my permission and you can thank us later" John said as Lucas skipped up to KFC and got the order then he hurried to GameStop and pulled things this way and that as the clerks looked on confused.
"Uhh is there anything we can help you with sir, maybe you'd like a carriage and were kidding because we don't carry them" The clerk said as Lucas laughed quickly and pulled games from the shelf and then threw them on the counter and saw Guitar Hero Metallica and Guitar hero World Tour.
"Throw those in too and one guitar plus the whole band kit my good man, I'm a guitar hero fanatic and I will not be denied" Lucas exclaimed and the clerks bagged everything up along with a Wii, an Xbox 360, a PS3, A Nintendo DS, and a PSP.
"Have a nice time kid and please come again you're our best customer, in fact nobody has brought this much stuff from us before" The clerk said as John threw an American Express card on the counter and the clerk handed all the bags to Lucas who skipped off with bunches of them and going to come back for more.
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"So you mentioned your mother's G string Lou, what does that have to do with Natalie and you meeting?, I mean you did notice something a little further up I hope" John said packing the rest of the bags in as Lucas nodded smiling as John smiled with him.
"I noticed her bra dad, see she was on her way to Gym and I was on my way to History and she crashed into me and a black velvet bra fell out and she blushed snatching it from my hands as I smiled at her".
"Sounds exactly like your mom's and I meeting except I walked into the classroom door because her G string was distracting me and she giggled picking me up and dusting me off".
"So where did mom and you go for your first date dad?, I'll bet it was magical and you never wanted it to end right?" Lucas asked as John shook his head no grinning as Lucas looked up at him.
"We spent the night in her dorm watching Titanic, her roommate a total goth joined us and she was so depressing telling us she knew Jack was going to die and Rose was his death, blah, blah, blah, so long story short we fell asleep and the next day your mom apologized for her roommate about a thousand times".
"Please tell me you had another date and where did you meet Miranda the police chief friend, I just love your old stories dad".
"Well we did have a second date and it was in my room for some alone time if you know what I mean, I had candles dangling across the windowsill and the curtains caught fire, then we met Miranda when she chopped our door down to help us out of the dorm".
Lucas cracked up at this as John did the same and John saw his son really saw him and he never wanted it to end as John had an idea.
"You know Lucas that guitar game you brought is like my guitar, I played a lot in High School and went through College with a band, your mom was the groupie and her mom paid a lot of money to get our band off the ground, after you were born we broke up and I would love to play that game.
"Dad I would love for you to play, I was actually hoping you'd ask because I need more things to do with you while mom watches Beaches and bawls her eyes out with the girls" Lucas said as John smiled and pulled into the driveway.
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"Hey mom so dad was telling me about your first and second date and I have to say I hope your third date was better than the last two" Lucas said as Ginger smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Well I told him those vanilla bean candles would catch the curtains on fire, and his response was relax baby I'm just setting the mood" Ginger said as Lucas saw Natalie was gone.
"Where did Natalie go mom?, I mean you girl's didn't scare her off did you? Lucas asked as Ginger shook her head no and handed Lucas an invite and he saw that it was for Natalie's End Of Summer Bash after Prom and his eyes brightened.
"Mom this is the party to end all parties, I mean some people RSVP'ed as soon as December of last year, how were you able to score one of these?"
"I have my moments and as for you sweetie you still haven't told me what else you wanted for the trip to Cancun, and what else you want for your good report card".
"No worries dad took me to GameStop and well let's just say he mentioned shopping spree and I ran grabbing whatever was in my way at the time" Lucas said as Ginger smiled down at her son.
"Sounds kind of like me at a mall, you can't put plastic in my hands without me using it" Ginger said as red and blue lights flashed in her driveway and she saw Noel being held by Miranda and she ran to the door and threw it open as Noel smiled her I'm a sweet girl smile.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
"I don't want to hear one word jailbird not one word, Miranda on a scale of one to ten how much trouble is my jailbird in?".
"Ten Ginge I say ten, she was caught mooning the boys and flashing her boobs at the football game last week, it's a good thing the security guards of Westwood Prep and I are on the up and up huh Noel?"
"Yea yay for you and rent a cop Chief Kilgallen, anyways can't we let me off with a warning I mean I was expelled and it's all good in Westwood Prep once more" Noel said as Ginger angrily glared in Noel's direction and Miranda smiled.
"I told you she'd be mad, I mean you said ohh she'll be fine but I grew up with her being her enemy until College, then I saved her from the burning inferno that was your dad's dorm and suddenly I'm a hero to her.
"I thought she would understand I mean she was a teen girl once too, and you can't tell me you've never had the urge to pull your pants down or your bra off in front of a boy".
"You'd be surprised young lady, your grandmother would have torn my hind if I ever did what you did last week, I mean have you no decency to being ladylike?" Ginger asked as Noel just sighed and sat on the couch looking bored.
"So anyways I caught her making a three story leap into some rose bushes to join her friends at a make out party and let's just say make out parties are a lot different since our days like taking skirt and shirts off different" Miranda said as Noel shook her head no trying to reassure Ginger that Miranda was wrong.
"I think not mom I mean I'm a lady and all that junk that you pressure into my mind day after day, and a lady would not go to a party like that" Noel said as Ginger and Miranda both stared accusingly at Noel.
"A lady also wouldn't pick a fight with the creator of their school's daughter, a lady wouldn't run around with their pants down and bra off, A lady you are not Noel Eloise Foutley but I feel lessons in Miranda's Critillion classes may help that attitude of yours there's even a ball at the end you'll have to go to".
"Who the hell am I Cinderella looking for prince Charming?, I mean come on mom it was just a girl having fun, do you mean to tell me that I can't have fun because I have to act ladylike?".
"That's exactly what I'm saying, because your idea of fun is another person's idea of pranking, now get your rest tonight because at exactly 0500 hours you're Miranda's problem and let me just say that she's not always this nice" Ginger said as Noel put her dimples on hoping it would melt Miranda's heart.
"Nice try flasher but I'm not easily awed by dimples and a smile, now if Karen did it that would be a totally different situation" Miranda said as Karen ran up hearing her name and hugged Miranda as she smiled down at her.
"Well Carrie Boo how's life?, I mean besides having a sister who can't understand what it's like to be a girl that is?".
"Noel and Heather are scaring me into sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed every night, they tell me there are shadow monsters in my room and their going to get me" Karen said as Miranda grinned down at Noel.
"Yep I'm going to have a lot of fun with you and Heather, the both of you are in my Critillion class and let's just say I take manners very seriously" Miranda said as Heather walked in and sat on the couch with a stout on her face.
"Come now Heather it'll teach you to be a lady, and well you seem to like scaring Karen and that just isn't the right thing to do to your little sister" Ginger said as Heather looked to Miranda for support.
"Don't look at me I'm the teacher and I think you two would do some good to learn manners, etiquette, and how not to scare your little sister half to death".
"Fine but if I hate it I will ditch believe that Chief Kilgallen, I know how to ditch I did it all through school" Heather said as Miranda grinned knowing she wasn't going to ditch if Noel the puppet master didn't ditch.
Well that's it for now so please reply and I know the chapters are long but that's because I'm a very imaginative writer and that's also why it takes me a long time to come up with another chapter so anyways thanks to all who favorited this story and please reply and I'll write more ASAP