Chapter 50 – Hardcore Punishment
After James, Nathan and Jack headed off downstairs. Charlotte took over folding the towels as Gran went back to making the casseroles for breakfast.
"Elizabeth, dear." Gran said.
"Yes." Elizabeth said shaking her head.
"Are you okay?" Gran asked.
"I think so." Elizabeth said.
"I am sorry you had to see that." Gran said. "But it should never have gotten this far."
Tommy finished rinsing the dishes, stacking them in the drying rack. He then wiped his hands and turned to leave the kitchen.
"Where do you think you are going?" Charlotte asked.
"To my room." Tommy said. "Or should I say my jail cell."
"If you want to eat in the morning." Gran said. "I suggest that you dry those dishes and put them away."
"Ma!" Tommy whined.
"Do as your grandmother said." Charlotte said. "I agree, you want to eat breakfast, you need to help around here. Elizabeth is helping your grandmother. I am folding the towels. Your brother and Nathan are helping your grandfather with something. So you are going to help as well."
Tommy stomped back over to the sink and started drying the dishes.
"Drop the attitude." Charlotte said. "Or I can make your life a whole lot harder. It is Monday night. If you want to go to the charity event on Saturday, you will need to show some responsibility this week. Otherwise you will be left here. Technically, you will be left down at the stables under the watchful eye of security and/or Ed."
Tommy went to protest, but saw that his mother was serious. He shut his mouth and turned around to continue with the dishes. He knew that his mother would give in and drop this in a day or so, she always did. Little did Tommy know what was in store for him. Charlotte had no intention of backing down this time. Not only was she upset, so were her parents and they supported her decision to punish Tommy and teach him some responsibility. Charlotte and the rest of them knew that trying to teach Tommy responsibility at this point in life was going to be difficult and it wasn't going to be without push back from Tommy. Gran looked at Charlotte and gave her a nod of approval. Elizabeth wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that this wouldn't be the end of it and it could be a long week. As her and Gran got things together to put the two breakfast casseroles in the fridge, Elizabeth wanted to check what the plan for the next day would be.
"Gran." Elizabeth said. "What is the plan for tomorrow?"
"Char?" Gran said.
"Dad and I will be working down at the arena." Charlotte said. "We may need to go over to the stud farm, but will be around. Tommy has chores to do. JP and Nathan will need to care for the horses in the morning and Tommy will help them. After that, JP and Nathan will have jump practice and then will get a work out in."
"I am leaving by seven for town." Gran said. "I will probably be gone until lunch or later."
"What about lunch?" Tommy asked in a slightly whiny tone.
"There are fixings for sandwiches." Gran said. "Or I can throw something in the crock pot in the morning."
"Sandwiches are fine." Charlotte said. "Please show Elizabeth were everything is. Elizabeth, can you be up here to set things out for lunch?"
"I can do that." Elizabeth said. "I think I will watch Jack and Nathan jump. When they come back up to the house to workout, I will come back as well. I think I might grab a book from the library or use my laptop."
"I will give you the new password in the morning." Gran said.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said.
"Feel free to make yourself at home." Gran said. "There are plenty of books in the library feel free to read any of them you like."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I will make sure that I have everything ready to eat by noon."
"You can just set the stuff out." Charlotte said. "We will each make our own sandwich when we come up."
"Veggies and fruit with them?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Gran said. "There are also individual bags of chips that can be had."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I can handle that."
"Char." Gran said. "You said Thomas would be here tomorrow evening."
"Yes." Charlotte said. "He said the plan was to try and take off by four."
"Who is coming with him?" Gran asked.
"At least Doug." Charlotte said. "He was going to check with Lee in the morning. If Lee doesn't come tomorrow, he will probably come on Friday for the weekend. Thomas said he would be here for the charity event this weekend. He just wasn't sure when he was coming up. That was why he was going to talk to him in the morning."
"Very well." Gran said. "I will plan that he is coming until I hear otherwise."
"Good plan." Charlotte said.
"I was thinking burgers on the grill tomorrow night." Gran said. "I will pick up some fresh sweet corn while I am in town and we could do that on the grill as well. I know that we are having it on Sunday, but sweet corn is in season for such a short time."
"So burgers with the fixings." Charlotte said. "Grilled corn. Will there be enough fruit to have tomorrow evening as well."
"I will pick up some more." Gran said. "Since I have to stop and get some thing for Nathan for Ghost."
"Might as well pick up some potato salad and/or maybe a pasta salad." Charlotte said. "Especially if you are going to Healthy Living."
"Do you have a preference?" Gran asked looking at Elizabeth.
"I don't know what they have." Elizabeth said.
"Here." Charlotte said handing Elizabeth a menu.
"I would do the fingerlings potato salad." Elizabeth said. "Then either the garden tortellini or the garden macaroni salad. The spring onion radish ceaser looks good as well."
"I will see what is there." Gran said. "Please write those down. Also what fruits and veggies I should get some more of. Also please check that Nathan wrote down what he needed. Char anything to add?"
Elizabeth went to the counter by the phone and saw that Nathan hadn't added what he needed, but she did as well as what she had picked out.
"No." Charlotte said. "Any of those salads would be fine. Just make sure that you get enough Doug and Lee have appetites that rival JP's."
Gran nodded.
"It looks like Jack wrote down Gatorade, but didn't include any flavors." Elizabeth said.
"Will you please go downstairs and ask both JP and Nathan which two flavors they want?" Gran asked.
"Ask us what?" Nathan said coming into the kitchen.
"What flavor of Gatorade you want." Elizabeth said.
"Orange, fruit punch or lemon lime for me." Nathan said.
"Those will work for JP as well." Charlotte said. "Are you boys finished?"
"James and Jack are just finishing." Nathan said. "I came up to check how everything was going."
"We are good." Gran said. "I don't know if I will be back for lunch tomorrow, but there is stuff for sandwiches. Elizabeth will make sure everything is set out for you."
"Take your time." Nathan said. "We will be fine. I know my way around a kitchen if needed."
"I was also telling them that Thomas will be here by supper." Charlotte said. "They are looking to take off by four."
"Thank you for letting me know." Nathan said.
"At least Doug is coming." Charlotte said. "Thomas still wasn't sure about Lee. He was going to call him in the morning."
Nathan nodded.
"If there is nothing else." Nathan said. "I think I am going to grab a book from the library and turn in early. Six am comes early."
"Tommy." Charlotte said. "You heard, six am. You will get up when Nathan or JP knocks on your door. Nathan can you help us finished up here."
"Whatever." Tommy said. "I am going to my room."
"Fine." Charlotte said.
She looked at Nathan who nodded. Tommy didn't say anything to anyone else but headed downstairs. Nathan watched Tommy headed down the stairs before he turned to Charlotte.
"Just so you know." Nathan said. "James put a password on the TV's as well. I also set up a motion sensor outside of Tommy's door. I will get an alert on my phone. Just in case. His stuff is locked in the storage area."
"Thank you." Gran said. "Be sure to talk to Doug and Lee when they get here so they know what is going on."
"I will." Nathan said. "I look forward to meeting them. I think that the five of us will have a wonderful time."
"I think so as well." Gran said. "If no one else needs anything, I am going to head to bed as well. It has been a long day."
"Goodnight, Mom." Charlotte said.
"Night, Gran." Elizabeth said. "Thank you for taking me with today."
"My pleasure, dear." Gran said.
Gran squeezed Elizabeth's shoulder as she walked by. Elizabeth, Charlotte and Nathan finished up in the kitchen making sure everything was put away, the dishwasher was running. Charlotte also put everything in the basket to take over to the linen closet, before she headed to bed. Suddenly they heard footsteps stomping up the stairs. Charlotte looked to Nathan and he gave her a nod.
"I will go put these away." Elizabeth said taking the basket from Charlotte.
"In the hallway." Charlotte said. "Just past the bathroom, before Mom and Dad's room."
Elizabeth nodded and left before Tommy entered the kitchen. Charlotte turned to see a very upset Tommy standing there stomping his foot and huffing at them.
"Is there a problem?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes!" Tommy bellowed. "All my stuff is missing from my room."
"Your stuff?" Nathan asked. "I wasn't aware you owned those items."
"Shut up!" Tommy yelled. "I wasn't talking to you."
"Enough." Charlotte said. "You will not talk to Nathan in that manner. Not only because he is guest in this house, but because he is an adult. Now, you want anything other then what has been left in the room you are allowed to stay in, you will have to earn it. You will be provided with a clean outfit in the morning, including appropriate footware for chores. You will have no say in what you wear or eat until you earn those choices. There will also be no phone, internet or TV until further notice. You also be restricted to the property unless you are accompanied by your father or myself."
Tommy started stomping across the dinning room.
"Where do you think you are going?" Charlotte asked.
"To sleep upstairs in the guest room." Tommy said.
"No, you are not." Nathan said grabbing Tommy's arm.
"I don't have to listen to you." Tommy said trying to pull away from Nathan's grip.
Nathan tightened his grip on Tommy's arm and brought him over to his mother.
"Here are the rules." Charlotte said. "You will do what you are told, when you are told and without attitude. You will eat what is put in front of you or you will not eat. If you leave this property without permission you will be reported as a run away and the authorities can deal with you. Oh your bank card has also been frozen until further notice. You try to use it, it will be rejected and possibly reported as fraud. You will do assigned chores and there will be additional chores if you want to earn things back."
Just then James and Jack walked back into the kitchen. Charlotte saw that James was carrying a few sheets of paper. She held out her hand to her father and he gave her the papers. Charlotte grabbed a pen and made a few changes. She then handed them back to her father, who just looked at her. She nodded and he had accepted her changes. He figured that Tommy had further pushed his mother. James realized that it was going to be a long week, but at least Charlotte hadn't caved to Tommy. At least not yet. Charlotte moved back in front of Tommy.
"Nathan." Charlotte said.
Nathan looked at her, but didn't release his grip on Tommy as he continued to try and pull away.
"I have made a couple of changes." Charlotte said.
"Yes." Nathan said.
"Unless there is a dramatic change in Tommy's attitude and behavior by Thursday afternoon." Charlotte said. "He will NOT be attending the bonfire or the charity event this weekend. Would you be able to arrange for security to able to sit with him. Making sure they are aware of the rules."
"Yes, ma'am." Nathan said. "Devin was going to send Michael with your husband. He will be helping with security up here. He is going to be staying with Adam."
"Very well." Charlotte said.