As requested, here is the next chapter.

Enjoy ...

D is for Door

January 3, 1982

"Donnie!"

Suppressing the urge to groan at his father's call, Don motioned for a time out in the basketball game he and his friends were playing so he could jog across the driveway to where his dad was waiting.

"Yeah?"

"Your mom's car broke down so I have to go pick her up from the auto shop." Allen informed him.

Oh man! Don knew where this was going.

"I'll be gone about an hour, keep an eye on your brother and be careful around that cabinet."

He gestured to the antique china cupboard that had been moved to the backyard to be stained.

"Sure dad." Don muttered, knowing there was no point in arguing.

As soon as the car had pulled out of the driveway, the eleven-year-old turned back to his game.

"Alright guys, who's ball?"

"Hey, shouldn't you check on your brother first?" One of his friends wondered. "I mean he's only, what seven?"

Don rolled his eyes. He knew Conner meant well and, being the oldest of five siblings, knew a thing or two about watching kids. Charlies, however, was not like Conner's brothers ans sisters.

"The kid corrected YOUR homework." Don pointed out with a grin, tossing the ball to Conner. "I think he can handle himself."

"Alright," Conner admitted, dribbling the ball a few times, "but can you?"

He faked left and darted around Don to score two points.

"Nice one." Don's best friend, Mark, commented. "Now you and Jason are only down by four."

Mark passed the ball to Don who did a jump shot for three points.

"Make that seven."

"Enjoy it while you can, Eppes." Jason grinned, preparing to shoot. "It will make it that much better when we beat you."

"Dream on, Baker."

Jason jumped, going for a three point shot. Don reached up to deflect it. The ball went flying towards Mark. He went for it, but it bounced out of bounds … and right into the china cupboard with a loud crash. All four boys froze, their eyes glued to the shattered window that was once the door of the cabinet.

"Oh man." Dean muttered, running his hands through his hair.

He was SO dead.

"I, uh, just remembered I still need to start my book report." Jason stated before racing down the driveway.

"I think I'll help you." Conner added, running after him.

"Sorry dude." Mark grimaced, before following his friends.

Great, Don thought bitterly while he took a closer look at the damage, what am I gonna do now? The spiderweb pattern in the glass had caused it to go into about a million pieces. Even if he had the means to fix it, there was no way he could put it back together before his parents came home. But maybe …

"Charlie!" He yelled, bolting through the back door. "Charlie where are you!"

"What is it Don?" Charlie asked, scrambling down the stairs. "Are you okay?"

"I won't be if you can't help me." Don replied, garbing his brother by the hand and practically dragging him outside.

"Oh man." Charlie gawked at the damaged cabinet door. "You are SO dead."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know." Don grumbled. "Can you fix it?"

"Fix it?" Charlie gave him a confused look. "It's shattered. How am I supposed to fix it?"

"Well, you put that one puzzle together in like a day, and it was a thousand pieces."

"It's not the same thing."

"Come on, buddy." Don pleaded. "You're my only chance."

Charlie bit his lower lip and walked up to the broken glass. He could almost see the wheels turning as the six year old mentally put the window back together.

"Okay." Charlie said finally. "Get me a screwdriver, two sets of tweezers, and a lot of superglue."

Don let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and gripped his brother's shoulder in thanks before racing off to get the required supplies. Over the next forty minutes he paced the yard as Charlie carefully pieces the window together, piece by piece inside the frame of the broken door. As it got closer and closer to the time his parents were supposed to return, Don grew more and more nervous.

"Can't you work faster?" He complained, checking his watch.

"Not it you want it done right." Charlie replied calmly.

Fifty minutes after the accident, Charlie finally put in the last piece, or at least the last piece he could find. A few of the edge parts were not complete, but at least they were not visible. Covering the back in a layer of packaging tape to strengthen it, the two brothers reattached the door, just as the heard their parents pulling up. Quickly shoving their supplies under the closest bush, the pair sat down in the grass, trying to look innocent.

"Hey boys." Allen greeted, giving each a puzzled look. "What have you two been up to?"

"Not much." Don replied casually.
"I was researching Newton's laws." Charlie replied.

"I thought you already memorized Newton's laws." Margret commented, looking at each of her sons.

"I did." Charlie nodded. "I was researching how he came to those conclusions."

"I see." Allen said, looking around the yard.

Don tensed as his dad's gaze swept over the repaired cabinet, but let out a small sigh of relief when it did not linger long.

"Hey Charlie?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"What's Newton's first law?"

"An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force." Charlie recited. "An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."

"You mean something like a basketball hitting a window?" Allen started, bending over to pick up the ball, that still sat next to the cabinet, with a couple pieces of glass embedded in the rubber.

Charlie's jaw dropped and Don put his head in his hands. They were SO dead.

What do you think? (I would have written more, but I wasn't sure what Allen and Margret would do in this instance.)

BTW, The first thing I need when writing this story is a word, a bit like the secret ingredient on the show "Iron Chef". If you guys want chapters up faster, I am happy to take suggestions on key words. My only rules are it must be a single word AND an object. (Apple, box, cards, door, you get the picture.)

Feel free to share any ideas and I will get started on "E".