Just a quick little Author's Note: I just wanted to let you know that The Middle will usually be updated on Friday's and Saturday's. Sometimes during the week, if I have time, I may update this story but I do have two other stories to update besides this one.

Thank you so much for sticking with this story when I had disappeared and I promise that that won't happen again.

The Scratch

From the outside, you can see that we're just your average family.

Sure we're a little disorganized.

"Trash day!" Frankie yelled as she ran down the hallway, banging the doors, "Bring out your trash!"

Delaeney groaned and rolled over in her bed. She didn't want to get up. Her arms were painfully sore from all the bar practice they had last night.

Okay, okay. I know it probably looks insane to be so nuts about trash day but, see, due to cutbacks trash pickup only happens once every two weeks.

If you miss it, you're screwed.

Delaeney stood next to Sue and held open the trash bag while Sue the trash into it.

"We're never going to make it." Sue pointed out.

"Hurry up, Sue." Delaeney said as she shook the trash bag.

"I don't understand why nobody obeys the chore chart!" Frankie exclaimed as she held up her trash bag. "Axl was to take out the garbage, Sue was to clean up, and Laynee was to fold the laundry."

Frankie sighed,

"Why do I bother making a chore chart if nobody pays any attention to it?"

"There's nothing on it." Axl exclaimed as he looked at the empty chart.

"Yeah, because I haven't bought the dry-erase markers, but it's all up here and you're supposed to remember what I told you." Frankie said as she picked up trash from underneath the coffee table.

Frankie tossed an empty takeout cup at Sue and Delaeney watched in awe as Sue caught it in her trash bag.

"Nice, Sue." Delaeney applauded and Sue smiled.

"Thanks."

Delaeney went into the kitchen to grab the trash bag that was in the trash can, knowing that they'd forget it if she didn't grab it now.

"We can do this. We can do this." She heard Frankie chant from the living room, "Hurry up."

Delaeney rushed out the door with the rest of the family in her baggy t-shirt and pajama pants, holding the trash bag.

"We did it! We made th-" Frankie was cut off by the honking of the garbage truck as it passed them.

Delaeney blinked blankly before dropping the trash bag she held.

~8~

Delaeney sat in between Axl and Sue as Sue fought Axl for the snacks.

"Hey," Delaeney said, agitated, "can you stop or can we at least switch spots."

You know those times you wished someone would take your kids away? Well, the reality isn't really as great as the fantasy.

Frankie turned around to face Axl, Sue, and Delaeney. Delaeney was sitting at the far end of the couch, away from the fighting that was occurring between Axl and Sue.

"So the social worker's coming tomorrow afternoon for the home visit." Frankie announced with crossed arms.

"If I tell the social worker that you hit me too does that mean I can trade up to a better foster family?" Axl asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Maybe," Delaeney said with a shrug, "but they'd most likely take me and give me back to my parents or something like that."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Sue cried, "They're gonna split us up! They're gonna take us away!"
"Relax," Mike said as he entered the room, "Nobody's taking anybody anywhere. This is a formalitu so they can sign their paperwork. We're gonna answer their questions Brick's gonna tell what happened and they're gonna see what a normal family we are."

Delaeney gave a nod as she snatched a pretzel from Axl.

~8~

So, the day of the social-worker visit arrived and we all pulled together to make a good impression.

Delaeney walked next to Axl as he wore dress pants, a checkered shirt, and a fake headband that made it seem like a knife was going through his head. Delaeney was wearing a pink floral dress with a grey cardigan.

"How do I look?" Axl asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Take that off." Frankie demanded, furious. "Damn it, Axl, take it off."

"Don't hit me." Axl joked.

"Not funny, Axl." Frankie fumed, "Not funny."

Axl scoffed and went to put the headband away while Delaeney walked into the living room hoping to get some peace before the social security worker came.

~8~

The woman who was interviewing them seemed like a nice woman. She had long red hair and wore a white shirt with a blue cardigan over it and a grey skirt. She also had a warm, loving smile on her face. Delaeney narrowed her eyes slightly, or course they had a warm caring smile; they were trying to make the child feel like they were in a safer environment. Which, she had to admit, was pretty smart.

"It's very nice to meet you."

"It's very nice to meet you too." Frankie responded

The social security worker, Carol, looked at the family before her. The oldest son had his arm around the young girl, who the family was currently guardians of. Next to them was the little boy and a teenage girl with a hat on her head. Frankie noticed Carol looking at Sue and her hat and quickly said,

"Her head gets cold."

Delaeney mentally groaned as she watched Frankie and Mike awkwardly quarrel over who should take because Frankie accidently interrupted him. Delaeney looked at Carol, who seemed unamused by the whole thing.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Frankie asked.

"Oh, I'd love some herbal tea." Carol said and Frankie panicked.

"Oh no. I don't have herbal tea. I know it's good for you, but I don't like it. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't have any herbal tea."

Delaeney watched as Sue started to cry and she had to stifle a laugh.

"Honestly, it's okay." Carol consoled, "Look, don't worry. It's better if everyone just stays relaxed, okay? So I'm gonna need to speak with each member of the family individually."

"Great. That sounds great. We're not nervous." Frankie said before letting out high pitched laugh.

~8~

"So how many hours a day would you say you spend together as a family?" Carol asked Delaeney as they sat in her bedroom.

"Um…" Delaeney pondered, "Enough where I wouldn't get annoyed with them."

"Would you say that your 'parents' drink alcohol on a regular basis?"

"I think that they drink an appropriate amount of alcohol."

"Does your mom ever get angry?"

"Uh…"

"And what do you do as a family for fun?"

"Watch TV."

~8~

"Okay," Carol said as she led Delaeney back into the family room and Delaeney sat down next to Axl,

"Brick is up next."

Yep, our future was in his hands.

~8~

"It's been a long time." Mike said as he twirled his thumbs, "Wonder how Brick's doing in there."

Frankie had her face in her hand, Axl resting his arms on his knees with his hands together, Delaeney had her head resting on Axl's shoulder and was staring blanky at the floor, and Sue was sitting straight up.

Sue started whimpering.

"Do not start to cry again, Sue." Frankie snapped, "I swear I will-"

"Thank you, Brick." Delaeney heard Carol say and everyone straightened up.

"It was very nice to meet you too."

Delaeney watched as Frankie hurriedly picked up the book on the table and opened it up backwards.

"Oh, are you done already?" Frankie asked, "We were reading some Bible verses. How'd it go?"

"I told her everything that you told me to-" Brick paused, "I mean, the truth."

Carol smiled at Brick before turning to look at the rest of the family.

"I want to thank you all for your honesty and candor. I think I have everything I need, so I will be contacting you shortly."

Delaeney watched Frankie rush after Carol as she left and sighed.

"That was exhausting." Delaeney said and Sue nodded.

"Hey," Axl began curiously, "Do you think foster homes have hot girls."

Sue, Brick, and Delaeney gave Axl a blank stare.

"Really, Axl."

~8~

I don't think I ever knew what relief meant until that moment.
There was an upside to all that happened, though.
I had written proof that I was a good parent and believe me, it came in handy.

"Can I please get my nose pierced?" Delaeney pleaded to Frankie.

"No."

"Oh, come on. You're the worst mom ever."

"Well it seems like the State of Indiana disagrees with you." Frankie replied as she held up the piece of paper that claimed that she was a good mom.

Delaeney groaned before storming off.

Yep.
It was good to have it in writing.