Chapter 35

It was a Saturday night, the last night before Maureen and Joanne came home from their vacation. Brooke was downstairs in her room, and quietly began to sneak out, a smile glued to her lips. She made it all the way up the stairs until Collins walked in front of her path, his arms crossed.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Brooke's smile fell, her hand running through her hair, "Getting a drink…"

Collins smirked, nodding his head, "Sure you are." He uncrossed his arms, smiling wider, "You thought you could sneak up and spend the night with Leah huh?"

"No, I really just wanted a drink." Brooke replied,

"I'll join you then." Collins said, and the two headed to the kitchen.

Brooke grabbed a water bottle, took a few drinks then put it back, while Collins had a glass of orange juice.

"So, can I go back to bed now?" Brooke asked.

"In your own room." Collins said, and the two walked back to the stairs, and went their separate ways.

"I caught her." Collins said, climbing into bed next to Angel.

"Who?"

"Brooke. She said she wanted a drink, but she was really just trying to get up into Leah's bed." Collins smiled. "I'd make a great dad."

Angel giggled, kissing him on the cheek, "Yes you would, honey."

Downstairs, Brooke entered her room, shutting the door behind her, a smile hanging from her lips.

"He had no idea."

Leah sat up in bed, her eyes half open, "Who?"

"Collins." Brooke replied, crawling into bed next to her, "He thought I was trying to sneak into your room…when really he has no idea, you're down here with me."

Leah smiled, curling up next to Brooke, "He had no idea all week."

"We're so sneaky." Brooke giggled, reaching over to shut the light off. She then snuggled into the covers, pulled Leah closer, and the two girls fell asleep.

The next day, everyone was tiding up the house before Maureen and Joanne came home, well everyone besides a very pregnant Haley, who was sitting at that kitchen table, eating brownies Angel had made.

"You know Angel." Haley began, biting into her third brownie, "You should stay here more often hardly any baking happens in this family, but when you come here, it's like cookies, brownies and cakes galore. I really think my kid is going to like coming to your house."

Angel giggled, putting a dish away in the cupboard, "Thank you sweetie. I'm really going to enjoy having your kid over at my house."

"Okay, we're done cleaning the bathrooms." Brooke sighed, her hair in a messy pony tail, an exhausted Leah following her, with a grinning Collins right behind them.

"And you're not done yet." Collins said.

"Collins…" Leah whined, "Please."

Collins shook his head, "Nope, you two snuck around behind my back all week, sleeping in the same bed, when you knew it wasn't allowed, so you will do chores until your parents come home."

"We're home!" Joanne shouted as if on cue.

"Mama!" Leah shouted, dropping the broom she was holding, running down the hall, Brooke right behind her.

Joanne was nearly tackled to the ground by their hug. "Nice to see you too." Joanne laughed, patting their backs.

"Welcome home." Collins greeted, Angel right behind him.

Maureen entered, giving everyone a hug and a kiss, "Where's Tessa?"

"Right here!" Tessa said, popping out of her room, running to the top of the steps, "Mommy?" a huge smile appeared on her lips at the sight of Maureen, and soon she was racing down the steps, leaping in the air landing directly in Maureen's arms almost knocking her to the ground, but Joanne thankfully held them up.

"Hey baby." Maureen grinned, kissing Tessa's cheek, hugging her tightly.

"I missed you Mom." Tessa said, resting her head on Maureen's shoulder.

"I missed you too." Maureen said,

"Hey baby girl." Joanne smirked, kissing Tessa's cheek. "So where's Haley?"

"Right here." Haley replied, waddling down the hallway, eating another brownie.

"How are you feeling?" Joanne asked, walking over to give her a hug, resting a hand on her belly.

"My back hurts and I can't see my feet anymore." Haley pouted,

Joanne laughed kissing the top of her head, "They're still there."

"So how was it?" Maureen asked in Collins and Angel's direction, "Rough week?"

Collins wrapped an arm around Angel, pulling her close, "It was fun. Your kids are sneaky, but it was fun watching them."

"What do you mean sneaky?" Joanne asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mama!" Leah said, hoping she could change the subject, "You have to see what Angel helped me make while you were gone."

"Oh honey, you have to see these outfits." Angel agreed, grabbing Leah's arm and pulling her up the stairs.

Collins nodded, "Yeah, you're daughter is like a fashion designer."

"Cool, let's go see." Maureen excitedly said, running up the stairs with Tessa still in her arms.

After looking at all the outfits, mesmerized by how well Angel and Leah did with them, the family all headed into the kitchen called up the boho's, invited them over, ordered pizza and spent the rest of the night talking about Maureen and Joanne's trip, and other things that had happened over the week.

It was once again Monday, and Joanne managed to drag herself back to work, the rest of the kids going to school, while Maureen was able to extend her vacation since she didn't work, and spent the day relaxing.

Later that night, Joanne was in Haley's room, helping her with homework, when she caught a whiff of something. She scrunched up her face, breathing in through her nose, "You smell that?"

Haley took a sniff, nodding, "Yeah…it doesn't smell very good."

Joanne nodded, and stood up from her chair, smelling the air some more, "Ew." Soon she was following her nose, coming to a stop in front of Tessa's room. She opened the door, the sight nearly knocking her over. "Oh Tessa!?"

Her youngest daughter's room had rips and tears in the furniture, her curtains were clawed, there were some kind of puddles everywhere on the hardwood floors. Her room was a disaster zone. Her eyes then widened when a small kitten jumped up on the bed, giving Joanne a small meow.

"Tessa!?" Joanne cried out, finally discovering the awful smell and puddles on her floor was cat piss.

Downstairs Maureen walked in the house with Tessa following close behind, "Mail's here." She flipped through them, "Bill, bill, bill…ooo Victoria Secret, junk, junk, Leah." She walked into the kitchen, placing an envelope in front of Leah, "You got mail."

Leah looked confused as she picked it up.

"Maureen, come here!" Joanne shouted.

"Oh no, what did I do?" Maureen asked, her eyes landing on Brooke "Did she sound mad?"

"Maureen!"

Brooke nodded, "She sounds pissed."

"Coming!" Maureen said, running down the hallway and up the stairs, finding Joanne in the doorway of Tessa's room, "What?"

"Look what our daughter has in here." Joanne bitterly said.

Maureen walked to the door, covering her nose at the smell, "Oh God…" She eyed the cat, "When did you let her get a cat Joanne?"

"I didn't." Joanne said, "Tessa come here."

"Mama!" Leah shouted with joy, "Oh my God they've accepted me!"

Haley finally stormed out of her bedroom, her hands on her hips, "What's with all the yelling!?"