The juniors got home to find Jack and Lucille looking rather unhappy, the look seeming to magnify as they walked through the door. "You two are back early."
Troy shrugged, "wasn't really much to do, we just felt like coming home." The parents hummed in response and the teenagers walked upstairs, finding Jacob standing at the door, having heard their approach. "Hey Bud, you're up late, are you ok?"
The boy nodded. "Lilly's upset."
"We'll talk to her Jakie, she'll be ok," Gabriella said reassuringly. "Do you want to head to bed so you're not tired in the morning?" The boy nodded and hugged her. "Sweet dreams Jakie." The boy repeated the sentiment and did the same to his brother before going to bed.
They walked to the door and Gabriella knocked but received no response, so she opened the door. Lilliana was lying on her stomach with her head buried in her pillow, the juniors could see the sobs racking through her body. Gabriella sat on the bed beside her, placing a hand on her back. "What's wrong Baby?" Hearing her sister's voice, the six-year-old threw herself into Gabriella's arms and buried her face into her neck, gripping her tightly. "Shh it's alright, I'm here, it's ok." Gabriella rocked the little girl until her sobs stopped and her breathing returned to normal. She pulled her little face out of its place in her neck and wiped her tear-soaked cheeks. "What happened Livie?"
The little girl quietly explained what had happened after the juniors left.
The Boltons had finished dinner and were sitting in the living room watching a movie, it had been almost three hours since the juniors had left and Lilliana was getting somewhat uncomfortable without Gabriella there. She got up from her place on the lounge and went to walk into the kitchen but Lucille's voice interrupted her. "What are you doing Lilly?"
"I want to call Bria."
The woman shook her head. "She's at a party Sweetheart, you don't need to call her, nothing's wrong."
"But she said I could call."
"That doesn't matter, you don't need to touch the phone, just come sit back down and watch the movie."
Lilliana slowly shook her head. "No thank you, I'm going to have a shower."
When she came back downstairs after her shower, she found Jacob waiting for her, who dragged her into the kitchen. "Do you still want Gabriella?" Lilliana nodded. "Ok, I'll call her so you don't get in trouble."
The girl smiled and hugged her brother. "Thank you Jakie."
"You're welcome." He climbed up and got the phone. "What's her number?"
As they were halfway through the number, Jack's voice interrupted them. "What are you two doing?" He walked over, accompanied by Lucille and took the phone out of the boy's hands, addressing him first. "Jacob, you can go to your room, you know that we said Lilly couldn't call Troy and Gabriella."
The boy sighed and walked off, whispering to his sister. "Sorry Lilly." She smiled softly and shook her head, silently telling him not to worry as he walked away.
Jack continued, addressing his daughter. "Lilliana, what part of you are not to call Gabriella do you not understand? And now you've even dragged your brother into this." The little girl only looked down at his questioning. "I'm talking to you and you will not ignore me." When she still didn't do as he'd asked, he tipped her chin up and his tone harshened. "Lilliana Mae, you are in big trouble."
The tears filled her eyes but she responded. "But I want Bria."
"I don't care, she is at a party and we are your parents. We told you that you were not allowed to touch the phone and you disregarded our instructions so you are grounded." She turned and ran up the stairs away from him, accidentally slamming the door. "You will not slam doors in this house young lady." As Jack was about to open the door, Lucille stopped him.
"I know she's not behaving but we're not going to invade her privacy, this is her space. Do not barge in there."
He nodded grudgingly. "Lilliana open the door."
"No, I don't wanna talk to you, go away."
Jack huffed and walked off, Lucille attempting. "Lilliana, can you open the door."
"No, I said go away." Lucille sighed and did as her daughter said. Inside the room, Lilliana tried to silence her cries as she gripped her and Gabriella's carebears to her chest. She heard her brother at the door asking if she was ok and she responded saying she was fine, which only made her cry more. She dropped the care bears and laid on her bed, burying her face into her pillow.
Gabriella tried her best not to show too much of her true feelings about Jack and Lucille's actions as she listened to her sister but it became increasingly more difficult as the story continued. Once the little girl was finished, she hugged her tightly to her chest. "I'm so sorry Baby, I promise I won't leave you alone for that long again."
"Promise you won't leave me?"
"I promise Livie, I will never leave you."
Lilliana sighed and cuddled into Gabriella. "I was ok here but I just wanted to talk to you, I wasn't going to ask you to come home but then they got angry and I wanted you. I didn't mean to get Jakie in trouble."
"I know you didn't Baby, you didn't do anything wrong and I know Jakie's not mad at you, he just wanted to make sure you were ok." Lilliana nodded and Gabriella could see she was exhausted from all her crying. "Alright, it's very late so why don't you say good night to Troy and we'll go to bed?"
Troy walked over and placed a kiss on top of his sister's head. "Good night Lil, I hope you feel better." Lilliana responded with 'good night' before he walked over to Gabriella and kissed her cheek. "Good night Brie."
"Good night Troy."
Gabriella got her and Lilliana tucked into bed and heard the girl's quiet question. "Bria, can you cuddle me tonight?"
She smiled sadly and brought the little girl close to her chest, kissing the top of her head. "Of course I can Baby." She did their usual good night ending with "tomorrow's another day Sweet girl and I love you every day to the end of the universe. Sweet dreams Livie."
"Sweet dreams Bria, I love you to the end of the universe."