"Fire ants?!" Virgil asks, looking up at Gordon.
Gordon nods happily, "Yeah, I am going to get them for Alan for Christmas he will love them!"
"True" Virgil agrees. He knows that Alan would love an ant farm, but nearly nine years of living with the family fish has left him suspicious of his real motivations.
"So are you ping to help me out or not?" Gordon asks.
"Not!" Virgil replies, returning to his book. "Now get to bed, we have school tomorrow"
Gordon rolls his eyes in response as he pulls his pyjama top on over his head. He has been awake since the early hours, and thanks to the dreaded chore list did not get that nap his dad promised him and he does feel tired. "Fine I will ask john, he can't resist answering a question"
Virgil jumps down from the bed and pushes gordon aside to get to John first!
"OW! VIRGY" Gordon cries, picking himself up from the floor and chasing him from the room catching up with Virgil, the two are both laughing hysterically as they burst into John's room together.
Virgil clamps his hand over Gordon's mouth. "D-d-don't tell him anything" he says, gasping for breath. "EUW! GORDON! THAT'S GROSS!" He exclaims loudly pulling away from him and wiping the palm of his hand that Gordon has just licked in disgust.
John is standing at the window, using his telescope.
"Are you spying on the neighbours Johnny?" Gordon asks, distracted from the reason why he is here.
"Our nearest neighbour is two miles away Gords, don't be so stupid. What did you want anyway?" John replies. He has still not looked around, only stopping briefly to mark something on a chart on is tablet.
"Don't call him stupid!" Virgil snaps.
"Sorry" John replies instantly. "Now tell me what you wanted or get out"
"Where can I get fire ants from?" Gordon asks.
"The southern states. Texas for example. They like it in warm and dry places. Why?" john asks suddenly suspicious, and finally turning around where he finds gordon and Virgil both standing in the middle of the room, Virgil has his head in his hands and is grumbling under his breath.
"No reason" Gordon replies, turning on his charms and grinning at him. "Can I buy them?"
John looks briefly at Virgil who is slowly shaking his head, trying to get him to say no!
"Not easily, no. why do you want fire ants?" John asks.
"Alan's Christmas present. He would love a fire ant farm" Gordon asks.
"Yes he would, but it wouldn't make a good present. What would you do if they escaped? Fire ants bite and sting, and what if they bit one of the kittens it would hurt" John says, appealing to his brother's better nature as he would find the ants biting him or Scott or Virgil or even Alan would be hilarious, but he would never hurt the cats. "but if you really want to get him an ant farm, then I can help you. Come and see me after school tomorrow and we will have a look into it" John promises.
"Really?" Gordon asks excitedly, John has never volunteered to help him with anything before, usually choosing to palm him off on Virgil.
"Really, now go to sleep!" John says.
Gordon skips out the room leaving john and Virgil alone. "Fire ants?! Where does he get these ideas from?" John asks bursting into laughter.
"Better yet, why did you tell him?" Virgil replies.
"I can't help it. I like answering questions" John tells him with a shrug. "Go to bed Virg, turn the light off and don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
"Goodnight John" Virgil replies, leaving the doo wide open just to annoy him.
"DOOR VIRGIL!" John shouts before crossing the room and slamming the door closed.
*TB*
Waking up the following morning, John feels like his body is on fire. Moaning as he rolls over and looks at the alarm clock next to his bed he realises that it Is nearly midday. "NO NO NO NO NO!" He shouts as he throws himself off the bed and onto the floor. He scrambles to his feet and races down the stairs.
"Grandma? Where is everyone? I am so late!" John says breathlessly.
"Calm down. Don't you remember what happened this morning?" Grandma asks, gently pushing him down into one of the kitchen chairs and placing her hand on his forehead.
"No" John replies, shrugging her and away.
"We tried to get you up, but you had a temperature of one hundred and two degrees, and you thought that your room had been invaded by giant man eating space creatures. I dosed you up with Tylenol and you went straight back to sleep. How are you feeling now?"
John has to think about that as he has no idea how he feels. His head hurts, that he does know. "My attendance" he complains, his voice weakening with the realisation that this years perfect attendance has now expired.
"Your health is more important. Now you go and get comfortable on the sofa and let your grandma do the worrying for you" Grandma says, helping him up from the chair. The movement makes john feel dizzy and he finds himself leaning against her for support.
John curls up on the sofa and is quickly joined by Neko, who climbs up onto his chest for a cuddle.
"Look after him for me" Grandma tells the kitten. "I will be in the kitchen if you need anything okay?"
"Are you talking to the cat or me?" John asks smiling.
"Both" grandma replies, running a hand through his hair. "Get some rest"
John spends the afternoon flicking through the channels on the tv and napping. Drinking the endless cups of tea Grandma supplies. He is still asleep when the daily chaos breaks loose as Alan arrives home with Scott and Virgil.
"GRANDMA GRANDMA GRANDMA!" Alan cries at top volume running through the house.
"Quiet Allie, your brother is asleep" grandma tells him as she scoops him up from the floor.
"Grandma I didn't do it, I promise" Alan says, sticking his thumb into his mouth and looking up at her his eyes wide and innocent.
"Didn't do what" Grandma asks.
"Put superglue on Mr Morgan's chair before assembly, it was Gordon!" Alan says, determined to get his story out first while his brother is a swim practise.
"Excuse me?" Grandma asks I shock. "You did what?!"
"Nothing, it was Gordon!" Alan insists. "He is framing me"
"I have a letter from Mr Morgan here, dad has to go to the school in the morning for a meeting" Scott tells her, Handing over the letter.
"That will please him" grandma says sarcastically. "Up to your room please Alan. You know the rules" she says, putting him back down on the floor.
"But I didn't do it" he insists.
"Let me talk to your dad and brother, and if Gordon framed you he will be the one grounded and we will let you go" Grandma says.
Alan storms from the kitchen and up the stairs slamming his bedroom door closed behind him.
"Hey Grandma" Scott asks.
"Yes Scott?' she replies.
"Want some wine?!" He says grinning.
"I think I am going to need it!" She tells him, returning his smile. "What do you think, did Gordon do this?"
"It has gordon and billy written all over it, but framing Alan is cruel and if they did that then he should be grounded until Christmas!" Scott says pouring himself a glass of wine and downing it quickly. "Ugh, I have no idea how you drink this stuff!"
Grandma grins. "You get used to it, and don't tell your dad you have been drinking, you are not twenty one!"
Scott laughs, as he refills the glass.
"Scott, no!" Grandma says, taking the glass away. "One glass is more than enough at your age young man"
Scott knows that she is right, but he has spent his whole life being a role model, and sometimes just sometimes he wishes he could forget all about his responsibilities and get drunk in the park with his friends. "Just one more" he asks hopefully.
Grandma has already put the bottle away and drunk that second glass for herself. "Sorry Scott. You know the rules"
Scott's pouting never lasts long, "Fine, I am going to study for my maths exam on Wednesday. Call me when dinner is ready"
"Dinner!" grandma exclaims, suddenly remembering the sausage casserole she put in the oven earlier in the day. She was supposed to turn the heat down an hour ago!
Opening up the oven, an acrid smell hits the nostrils and the back of her throat, causing her to cough, breathing heavily she takes the dish from the oven, and tentatively lifts the lid.
The liquid has almost evaporated from being overcooked, and the sausage pieces are burned and blackened, and the vegetables soggy and ready to make soup instead.
Prodding the congealed mess with a fork, grandma contemplated serving it anyway, but she loves her son and grandsons, and this she wouldn't feed to her worst enemy! She wouldn't even feed it to the man who caused Jeff's plane crash, the terrorist known among the GDF as the Hood. Kyrano's half brother and Kayo's uncle.
Pouring it into the bin, she goes to find Virgil, who is lying on the sofa with John, one arm wrapped around his shoulder.
"Virg, can you order pizza?" She asks.
"What happened to the casserole?" Virgil asks.
"It had a little accident" Grandma tells him.
"I'm on it" Virgil confirms laughing.
*TB*
Gordon has just climbed out the pool for the final time before thanksgiving. Shaking water out of his hair as he walks towards the shower block. "Bye Mr Morgan, see you tomorrow" he calls back under his shoulder.
"My office. Seven-thirty, bring your dad!" Mr Morgan calls back, he is aware that Gordon was the one who pranked him and framed Alan and he has no intentions of letting him get away with it. He gets an arrogant laugh from Gordon as he leaves to get changed.
Once he has fully dressed, Gordon goes outside to wait for his ride.
And waits.
And waits.
He is still waiting when Mr Morgan comes out to go home and he is angry. Scott has never forgotten him before, not even when he was angry when he dyed all his white shirts pink did he forget him.
He has tried phoning but no one at home is answering, and his dad is in a meeting and won't be free until late.
"Still here Gordon?" Mr Morgan asks.
"Yeah, Scott is late" Gordon replies.
"You need a ride?"
Gordon nods. "Yes please" he follows his teacher across the car park and into the car.
"I know you set up your brother Gordon" Mr Morgan tells him, as he drives towards the exit of the car park.
"Maybe I did, but it is about time he started pranking, when I was his age I had already gotten my first Saturday detention" Gordon says proudly.
"That is nothing to be proud of Gordon! Where do I go from here?"
"Through Main Street, turn right onto the highway for half a mile then there is a sharp left onto the private road leading to m house" Gordon says, deliberately ignoring Mr Morgan's rebuke.
They drive on in silence, the warmth of the car is making Gordon feel sleepy. Yawning heavily, he leans up against the window, starring out at the scenery.
"Come on Gordon, we are here" Mr Morgan says gently sharing him awake.
"Thanks for the ride" Gordon says before he climbs out of the car and goes into the house, where he finds his brother's and Grandma sitting at the kitchen table eating pizza, laughing and joking and happier than he has seen them when he has been with them. Seeing them happy that he is not there turns his anger into despair.
He doesn't bother letting them know he is home safe, instead he goes up to his room, and throws himself onto the bed and cries until he falls asleep.
