Jeff is already to leave for the island a week later, he has packed his largest family photo album full of his favourite pictures. And enough clothes for a weeks stay, no more than that, he won't be staying away any longer than he has too.
He has organised a small farewell party for himself and the boys. And allowed them to invite some of their friends.
Scott surprises them when his guest shows up, they thought he would have invited the meatheads on his football team, but a very pretty girl gets out of a red beetle convertible, and flips her blonde blonde hair over her shoulder, and walks over to him, affectionately kissing his cheek.
"A girl?" Gordon exclaims in shock, almost dropping the plate of food in his hand which he has been asked to take to the table outside.
"Yes, Bella is a girl Gordon, well done" Scott tells him sarcastically.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Alan asks.
"Yes Allie, she is" Scot replies smiling.
"Do you like kiss and stuff?" Alan adds.
"Yes" He tells him laughing.
"Yuck. That's gross Scotty why would you kiss a girl?" Alan asks him grimacing.
Scott laughs and grabs hold of Alan.
"Get him Bella!" He shouts.
She frees him from Scott's grip and kisses his forehead
Alan frees himself and runs screaming about girl germs back into the house declaring he has to take a shower.
"Well done Bells, that's the first shower he has taken in days!" Scott tells her laughing. They both grab a plate of food each and settle down under the ancient sycamore tree at the edge of the garden, to watch what's going on.
Gordon and Billy are having a diving contest in the pool, which Scott watches happily. The scarring on his right leg is fading as he grows and Scott loves seeing him happy and healthy.
Alan came back out the house with Virgil and is clearly now avoiding Scott and Bella!
John is lying on a sun lounger, which he has dragged as far away from the pool as he can and is reading a book.
The party lasts all day, moving in doors when the sun goes down. Scott and Bella have disappeared to Scott's bedroom for some privacy, Scott's dad thinks that they are with his brothers watching a movie and has no idea they snuck away.
Gordon is the first to notice Scott and Bella have disappeared.
"Billy" he whispers to his friend, "let's to and see what Scott is up to!"
Together the two trouble makers sneak out of the room and upstairs.
They can hear noises coming from Scott's room, as they sneak up on it. Gordon slowly tries the door and is excited to find out Scott forgot to lock it and he throws it open.
Scott is butt naked on top of Bella grunting like a stuck pig, and Gordon is shocked. He has no idea what he was expecting but it was not that! He knows Scott will be in the biggest trouble ever if their dad finds out, and grabs his phone to take some blackmail pictures.
Scott suddenly becomes aware of his brother and friend in the room. And he explodes in anger. He pulls out before he can climax, and all thoughts of any pleasure are long gone. He grabs Gordon by the face and shoves him against the wall hard.
"You tell no one about this Gordon or I will kill you" Scott tells him angrily.
"Whatever just get some clothes on, you're embarrassing yourself!" Gordon tells him grinning.
Scott let's him go, and turns back to the bed. Bella has pulled the blanket over herself, her embarrassment diminishing into laughter as Scott pulls his boxers and jeans back on.
"Get dressed Bella, we can try and get back downstairs and if my dad hasn't noticed then no one will ever believe Gordon's story if he does say anything. Scott is blissfully unaware his little brother took pictures.
Bella giggles as she gets out the bed and starts to get dressed. "Lighten up Scott, the kid won't say anything. You have suitably threatened him!"
"You don't know Gordon, I would put my life savings on him using this against me for the rest of my days" he replies groaning.
*TB*
Scott is right, this is an opportunity Gordon can't resist. He wakes up the following morning to the sheer chaos he has come to associate with his dad leaving for a business trip.
Only his dad and grandma are awake, running around downstairs trying to make sure he has everything he needs packed and ready, and they're trying to keep the noise down and are failing miserably!
Unable to fall asleep again he gets out of bed. His alarm clock is showing him it is 4:30 in the morning. Knowing that any further sleep is going to elude him, he is just grateful it is a Sunday morning, as he tiptoes past his brothers rooms trying not to wake them up and down the stairs into the kitchen, where he finds his dad and grandma drinking coffee.
He silently pours himself a mug, and tiredly plops down into his usual seat.
"Couldn't sleep either Scotty?" Grandma asks sympathetically patting his arm.
"Nope. When are you leaving dad. And are you sure I can't go with you? I would help you build the island, and do any homework the school sets me, I promise" He asks his dad.
"Sorry Scotty, your place is here right now, there's only about 6 weeks left of school then you're off for 12 weeks before you're senior year. You need an education Scott. And I will be leaving for be airport at 9am, you're all coming to see me off then Grandma is dropping Gordon off at the school for a training session. Everything is going to be fine." His dad tells him.
Scott stops asking, he knows he's just going to have to face whatever torture Gordon has in mind for him.
By 7am they're all up and ready to leave for the airport. Alan is clinging to his dad and keeps begging him not to leave.
Jeff looks down at his baby, clinging to his leg and bends down to his height. "Oh Allie, we have been through this. I have to go. I have been away before sweetie".
"Yeah and last time you went missing" Alan sobs. "Please don't go daddy, I want you to stay here with me"
Jeff holds the distraught 4 year old while he cries on his shoulder.
"Shhh it's okay Allie" Jeff comforts him. Rubbing his back gently. "This isn't like last time, I promise. I'm only going to be gone until next Saturday, and I'm going to be building our new home. If we can get the main structure put up why don't you come out with me in a few weeks".
"Really. You mean I get to see it before my brothers?" Alan asks. Tears drying up instantly and the promise of something his brothers won't get.
"What do you think Grandma?" His dad asks.
"Well I will miss having you around all day, but you never know I might actually be able to get your room too stay clean for longer than an hour!" She tells him smiling. "If you want to go with your father when he says it is okay to do so you can do, it's okay with me" she tells him kindly.
*TB*
The airport is bustling with activity when they arrive, Gordon grabs Scott's arm as they go towards the check-in desk.
"You want me to keep your dirty little secret Scotty, I want your allowance for a month and you do all my chores!" He tells his eldest brother confident that he has him.
"Yeah right Gordo, I'm not stupid. What are you going to do if I refuse?" Scott spits back.
"Blow this photo up and plaster it all over your school" Gordon replies showing Scott his phone.
Scott blanches at the site in front of him.
"It's a good photo Scott, you can even see her biting your shoulder. Why did she bite you? I thought she liked you!" Gordon tells him, an evil smirk on his face.
"Why are you doing this Gordon?" Scott Asks angrily.
"I need the money, and my chore list this month is awful. Grandma has me on dish washing duty for 2 out of the 4 weeks and next Saturday is expecting me to clean out the garage. No thanks Scott" he tells him.
"So this is blackmail?!" Scott replies furious now.
"No, I just want money and my chores done. You don't have to mail anything" Gordon tells him confused.
"Fine" Scott tells him, taking his wallet out of his pocket and handing Gordon the 20 dollar bill his dad had given him that morning.
Gordon happily pockets it and rejoins the rest of the family, where he says his goodbyes to his father.
Alan throws himself at his father and has to be restrained by Scott who refuses to let go of him even while he screams for his dad.
People are starting to stare as Alan continues to scream unintelligible screams for his dad mingled with his tears as his brothers and grandma all surround him.
"Come on let's get Gordon to school for his training session, then we will go and get breakfast" grandma tells them, moving them towards the exit and car park.
Scott straps Alan into his car seat, next to Virgil, Gordon takes advantage of Scott's distraction to nick the front seat.
"Gordon get in the back now!" Scott demands.
Gordon just mimes biting him and Scott climbs in the back without a further word, much to everyone's confusion. Scott has never backed down from an argument before, and never so quickly.
Grandma drives away from the airport. Scott squished into the boot, his nearly 6 foot frame squashed up against the seat in front of him vowing to get even as soon as possible.
*TB*
Gordon's final swim practise before his first meet last most of the day, but as promised by his dad there is someone waiting for him.
Smiling happily he jumps into his grandmas car, and they head for home.
"You are coming next Sunday aren't you grandma? I got everyone tickets today, this is my first official swim meet!" He tells her.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world Squid, just don't do anything stupid this time, and get yourself banned!" Grandma implores him.
"I won't. I'm not letting anyone down" Gordon replies seriously.
A comfortable silence falls between the cars inhabitants, before Gordon remembers about Alan.
"Grandma is Alan okay now?"
"Yeah, when I left he was 'helping' John with his astronomy club application form, he's still a bit fragile but he will be fine when your dad gets back next weekend."
"You didn't shout at him for getting upset did you?" Gordon asks fearfully.
"Of course not! We spent the morning napping on the sofa together. It's okay Gordon I wouldn't tell any of you off for getting upset." She assures him.
"Even in public!" She adds smiling, as she continues the drive home.
*TB*
Grandma thought the surprises for the day were over, but she can't help but ask when she finds Scott washing the dishes and not Gordon.
"He was tired from the practise so I volunteered" Scott tells her, lying through his teeth, as he moves on to drying plates and putting them away.
All week Gordon torments Scott, threatening to expose his secret, forcing him to do all of his chores and extorts even more money out of him for celery crunch bars, comic books and even a new plush toy, this one a fox, to join his ever growing collection.
By Friday Scott has had enough! Vowing to tell his dad everything and accept his punishment like a man!
*TB*
As promised Jeff is waiting for them on Saturday morning when they wake up.
Scott has barely slept all week and once again is the first one up, and joins his dad and grandma for coffee.
"I like this tradition!" Grandma tells him as they gather around the table.
But Scott is not here for the coffee.
"Dad, can we go into your office. I have something I need to tell you". He wants to get this over with before nerves get the better of him.
"Sure thing Scott, this sounds serious" His dad tells him.
Jeffs office is the one place they aren't allowed in unless he is home. It is a bright airy room, with a large desk which is home to his computer. Behind the desk on the wall are large photos of his family blown up and framed. They're all represented here, even their mom. Coming in here and seeing the pictures was difficult as first but Jeff finds himself talking to her portrait, updating her about the lives of her boys.
There is a large red velvet sofa on the opposite wall, which is where Jeff leads Scott for their chat.
"Dad Gordon is blackmailing me" Scott tells him, thinking if he gets his dads sympathy first, then what he did would have less of an impact.
"Blackmail?! What did you do?" Jeff asks.
"Last weekend at the party, he caught me doing something I shouldn't and he knows if you found out you would ground me for life. He's been using the information to get me to do his chores all week, and I've given him over 50 bucks in bribes, dad I'm sorry. I should have come to you sooner. But I thought if I could just pay him off it would all go away, but he's getting worse and I can't handle it anymore" Scott tells him.
"What did you do?" His dad repeats.
"I... Oh god dad don't make me tell you!" Scott begs.
"Scott?" Jeff says.
"Okay me and Bella were in my room and..." Scott trails off. "He has photos dad"
His dad gets the picture, and he is not impressed with either of them.
"I thought I taught you better than this Scott. This is a g rated family. You do not invite your Girlfriend here for sordid sex sessions, and you certainly don't allow your younger brothers to see! Gordon will be dealt with, and he will not bother you again but you are grounded for a month. No allowance and you spend the weekend in your room and after which you don't leave the house, and I'm taking away your car" His dad tells him.
"What about tomorrow, I am mad at Gordon dad, but I can't miss his swim meet" Scott asks accepting everything else without complaining.
"Of course you cant, that I won't ban you from, but you won't be allowed out of my sight." His dad tells him smiling now.
"Go on up to your room, and I will go and see Gordon" he continues, and they both go upstairs. Scott back to bed and his dad into Gordon's and Virgil's room.