The rental house, which Jeff Is looking to purchase in the future was originally two separate houses, that have been converted int one large property.
"I am not sleeping in the attic again Scott!" John complains as they look around the house, hoping that there are enough rooms for them to spread out a bit.
"And am not sharing a room with you, you snore!" Alan informs him, "and I am not going to bed until dad gets back with Allie-Gator." He is adamant that he can not sleep without his cuddly friend.
"I do not snore!" indignant, Scott responds. "And you will go to bed in the next 15 minutes, it is late, and you need your sleep young man"
"Yes Grandma!" Gordon replies, rolling his eyes, replying for Alan, who bursts into hysterical laughter. Scott knows that he has lost the discipline, and with it any chance of getting Alan to do as he is told.
To his utter consternation John and Virgil are also giggling.
"This is not funny!" Scott replies angrily.
"Lighten up Grandma" Virgil replies grinning. The laughter getting harder.
"STOP IT! NOW!" Scott yells, losing his temper.
"What are you going to do if we don't?" Virgil asks, genuinely curious.
"Next time Grandma cooks up a batch of cookies, I will make sure you eat them all"
This is the ultimate threat in the Tracy household. And the laughter is instantly curtailed.
"You wouldn't? that is cruel and unusual punishment!" Virgil tells him, shielding Gordon, John and Alan from the wrath of their angry elder brother.
"Try me" Scott snarls. "I want you all in bed in the next 10 minutes"
John in the first to give in, not wanting to push any more of Scott's buttons when he is sleep deprived, and in an awful mood. Finding a room with his name on a brass number plate, he pushes the door open. A small gasp escapes as he looks around the room. There is a single bed pushed up against the far wall, with is covered in a light blue bedspread covered in images of the solar system. There is a brand-new pair of pyjamas waiting for him on the pillow. Along one wall is a series of built in bookshelves, home to copies of all his favourites. The best thing about the room he thinks is the heater, which is already warming the room.
Happily climbing into bed, his legs stretching down the sheets, John is asleep in the 10-minute window Scott gave him.
Virgil and Gordon find that their room has also been prepared for their arrival, but there is no way Gordon is going to sleep until he has his squid. Virgil climbs into bed next to him and starts to read him the one book that was in the room. Again, a gift from their father.
"Mr and Mrs Dursley of number 4 Privet Drive…" He starts while Gordon lies his head on his shoulder and allows his brother to substitute for his cuddly squid.
Alan is a different story. Still refusing to go to bed until his dad gets there with Allie-Gator, not even the threats of Grandmas cooking work, or even the threat of calling Grandma to get her to talk to him.
Changing tactics from threats to understanding, Scott takes him upstairs and finds that their dad has put them together in the same room. In normal circumstances Scott would refuse to share a room with a 4-year-old, but this isn't forever, and he knows that Alan would hate being alone in a strange house.
"I know I am not as cuddly as Allie-gator, but why don't you come and get settled in my bed with me, and we will look after each other. I don't know about you, but I am finding it scary in a big new house without dad and Grandma to keep the monsters out" Scott tries, hoping that he takes the bait.
"You don't like the monsters either Scotty?" Alan asks surprised, he thought big brothers were not afraid of anything.
"A little" Scott tells him.
"Don't be, I will protect you from them all Scotty, even if you aren't as cuddly as Allie-Gator, it doesn't mean I don't love you too, even though you are ugly"
"Thanks. I think!" Scott replies laughing. Helping Alan into his pyjamas before getting his own on. "Come on, let's go and make sure your brothers obeyed me and are asleep!"
John is fast asleep, face down on the pillow, which is muffling his snores, his right arm dangling over the side of the bed.
Virgil is still reading aloud and has just started the 4th chapter even though Gordon fell asleep halfway through chapter 2.
"Go to sleep Virgy" Alan tells him. "I am in charge now; Scott was scared of the monster under his bed so I am looking after him and he said I could be in charge. So I am bossing you around for once"
"Scott?" Virgil asks, his eyes brows raised, trying to keep a straight face.
Scott is standing behind Alan, his eyes glued to his phone. Virgils phone beeps with a message. Reading it, his confusion becomes a smile.
Scott: Just go with it, it is the only way I could get him to agree to go to sleep!
"Okay Allie, I am lying down now, can you turn the light off for me?" He asks.
"Sure" Alan replies. "Scott turn the light out"
"What is the magic word?" Scott asks.
"I don't need the magic word; I am in charge. You do as I say" Alan insists.
"Goodnight Virg" Scott says, not wanting to undermine Alans authority, flicking the switch, the room is plunged into darkness.
"Night Scott, night Allie" Virgil replies, yawning. He is asleep before Scott and Alan have even made it back to their room.
WhatsApp.
Scott: before you leave the Island, can you please make sure you bring Allie-Gator and Gordons Squid?
Jeff: Sure, we are leaving soon. Should be back with you by 9am. And we are bringing another guest.
Scott: Really, who?
He doesn't get to read a reply, as Alan takes his phone. Placing it on the bedside table.
"No Scotty, I said you had to go to bed"
Surely, I am not this bossy! Scott thinks laughing.
"Okay Allie are you going to come and give me a cuddle?" he asks climbing into bed, remembering the reason he put Alan in charge.
"Sure" He replies happily. Jumping into bed with Scott and settling down next to him. "I like being in charge Scotty"
"Don't get used to it Sprout" Scott replies with a grin, soothing Alans hair while the little blonde drifts into a peaceful and deep sleep.
*TB*
Alan is up just 6 hours later, when he hears the sound of the front door opening.
"Scotty" he whispers urgently, shaking his brother awake.
Momentarily confused upon waking Scott can't remember getting into bed, or where he is.
"Huh?" He asks dopily.
"Scotty, the monsters are here, go and get them!" he demands.
"Monsters?" Scott needs coffee desperately!
"Yes, downstairs" Alan replies. Still shaking him, as Scott is showing all the signs of going back to sleep.
"Okay I am up. Give me a minute and I will go and get rid of the monsters for you" Scott tells him.
"I will come with you for backup" Alan insists.
Scott picks him up and gets him settled on his hip before going downstairs.
The monsters are in the kitchen, and it sounds like they are making coffee. If they are, he is going to let them stay!
Opening the door to find his dad, grandma, Kayo, Kyrano, Lord Creighton-Ward and a pretty blonde girl he doesn't recognise Alan struggles out of Scott's grip and throws himself at his dads legs.
"DADDY!" he shouts delightedly.
"ALLIE!" his dad shouts back, equally delighted.
"Daddy, I was in charge last night and I got Scotty to behave and Virgy to go to bed. I didn't need to shout at Gordy and Johnny because they were asleep already. I was brilliant at being bossy daddy." Alan gives him a quick run down of the events of the previous evening.
"Scott?" his dad questions, an identical look on his face to the one he got from Virgil a few hours ago.
"Alan was helping me out because he couldn't sleep without Allie-Gator, I thought if he had something else to focus on, he wouldn't worry so much about being in a strange place without you and grandma" Scott tells him.
"Daddy did you bring Allie-Gator?" Alan asks.
Grandma reaches into her bag, and helps the alligator poke his nose out.
"ALLIE-GATOR!" Alan cries happily, abandoning his dad and running to get him.
The newcomer has watched the scene with interest. The little blonde is tugging on her heart strings already. Looking over at Scott she meets his eyes and smiles kindly.
"Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" she introduces herself, holding out her hand for Scott to shake.
"Scott Tracy, and this little brat is Alan Tracy" Scott tells her grinning.
"Scott can you go and get your brothers up please?" his dad asks, "and we will sort breakfast"
"And coffee?" Scott asks.
"Always coffee" His dad replies with a grin.
"Grandma can you chuck me the squid please" Scott requests.
Grandma throws Gordons squid over to him, the throw wide of the mark and only saved from hitting the floor by Scott's reflex, one handed diving catch.
"Nice save Scotty" Grandma replies, apologetically.
"Thanks. They don't call me the greatest football player the school has ever seen for no reason!" He replies grinning.
Scott knocks on Johns door first, opening it slowly to find him sitting up in bed reading.
"Hey bed-head, you are wanted downstairs" Scott tells him.
"What are you talking about?" John asks.
"Take a look in the mirror and run a brush through that birds nest you call hair before you go down. Trust me you won't regret it!" Scott tells him laughing.
Johns only reply is to through the book at Scott's head as he gets out of bed. He does take his advice and brushes his hair through, before bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Gordon and Virgil are both still sound asleep. Gordon using Virgil as a pillow, slowly edging him towards the edge of the bed.
"Gordy?" Scott says gently, smiling as they both stir. "There is someone here to see you"
"Who?" Gordon asks.
Scott has the squid behind his back, slowly moving him round so Gordon can see.
"SQUID!" He shouts excitedly, climbing over Virgil to get to Scott, taking it from him and hugging it close to his chest.
"Dad wants you both downstairs" Scott tells them.
"How did you get on with Alan last night?" Virgil asks curiously.
"Fine, once I let him boss me about, he went to bed quite happily!" Scott replies laughing. "He has already told dad how good he is at 'being in charge'"
"I will have to remember that trick, certainly more effective than the time you let Gordon try Grandmas wine!" Virgil tells him.
"I still don't understand how anyone can drink that stuff" Gordon replies, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
Scott doesn't reply, he just leads them out of the room, where the smell of bacon and eggs is wafting from the kitchen permeating the house.
Gordon collapses into a spare chair, opposite the new girl.
"Hi" He says eyeing her up.
"Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" She tells him, again holding her hand out for him.
He takes it briefly, even though it is covered in girl germs.
"Gordon Tracy" He replies politely. Not really looking at her, more interested in eating one of the the bread rolls on the table. Tearing bits off and stuffing them into his mouth.
"Hi, I am Virgil" Virgil tells her, sitting down next to Gordon and taking a bread roll. Unlike Gordon, he is interested. The girl is gorgeous, he isn't about to deny that. Her hair is long and fine, straight down to her waist and the colour of ripened wheat. She is small and slender and has the self-assurance of someone who knows exactly who they are and what they want out of life, but without a hint of arrogance. She looks about the same age as he is.
"So, Lady Penelope. Do you like cars?" He asks, wandering if she would ever agree to go out with him, and if they have anything in common.
"That depends if they're chauffer driven or not" she replies.
"How about fixing them?" he tries.
"Why on earth would I fix one?" insulted by his assumption that she would get her hands dirty.
"Never mind" He says quickly, changing the subject.
"How about football?" he asks.
"I can play hopscotch, but 11 grown men kicking a ball about a pitch, getting sweaty and lying on the ground like they're dying when they get the slightest of knocks? No thank you"
Virgil knows this is not going well!
"What do you like to do?" He asks, hoping that there is something he can pick up on.
Her eyes light up at being asked. "I like nature, saving animals, looking after them, ecology, protecting the planet. I can spend hours on the ocean looking at fish" she replies, a dreamy distant look spreading across her face.
"Oh god, she's a female Gordon with a posh accent!" Virgil thinks. "Still, I am sure there is something I can find"
Gordon looks up interested now.
"Me too" He tells her excitedly. "I saved a snake, who got hurt in a storm"
"That is a lovely thing to do" She tells him sincerely.
Virgil can't believe that he is being upstaged by his younger brother, who now has the undivided attention of the most beautiful girl Virgil has ever met, and he isn't interested in her like he is. Their conversation only stops when the food arrives. And the usual silence falls over the large group while they eat their breakfast.
*TB*
After breakfast is finished and the boys are dressed, they split up for the day. Jeff taking Scott, Alan and John to the space museum that has just opened, while Grandma takes Virgil, Penelope, Gordon, and Kayo to the aquarium.
"Daddy, can I be in charge again?" Alan asks as they get out of the car.
"Not while we are out the house Allie, I am in charge. You can be my second in command though" he promises.
"Do I get to boss Scotty and Johnny around?" he asks.
"Only if you are nice to them with it". Looking at his other two boys, pleading with them to let Alan have his moment.
The museum is full of exhibits from different moon landings, and the recent mars exploration exhibition. Alan runs from room to room, fascinated by everything.
"I want to be an astronaut like you are daddy" he insists.
"Nothing would make me happier than you following and reaching your dreams Allie, but if you want to be an astronaut you have to study hard like Johnny does and get really good grades" his dad tells him.
"I will help him if he needs it dad" John tells him.
"Me too" Scott confirms.
"Does that mean I have to go to school?" Alan asks apprehensively.
"You do, and don't worry once you have gotten used to school it's not scary" John tells him, knowing his afternoon at kindergarten didn't go well.
Alan is still sceptical.
*TB*
Gordon is in his element in the aquarium as he and Lady Penelope point out various sea life to Virgil, Kayo and Grandma, and he knows even now that he has a friend for life, even is she is a girl.
The more time he spends in her company the more Virgil realises that they have nothing in common and going out with her would be the worst idea of his life! But he likes her, she is so good with Gordon, she is pretty, and she is intelligent.
*TB*
Back at the house, after a supper of grandma's speciality – takeout – Gordon and Virgil are discussing their day while they get ready for bed.
"What do you think of Lady Penelope?" Virgil asks.
"She's okay. For a girl" He replies with a grimace.
"Don't you want a girlfriend?" he asks.
"EUW Virgy. Girls are yucky" he replies in disgust.
Virgil is secretly relieved, glad he doesn't have to deal with his brothers first crush, as he is way too young for girls!