Author's Note: Thanks for the responses to Chapter 3 :-) The boys are certainly finding things a little more complicated now … ;-)
Special thanks to Willow Tracy, white rose01, zeilfanaat, Loren W. Cobh, Cap'n Phoenix, JackSparrow'sGirl, killhill2003, jemalicious, Ginger Ninja, Wacky Walnut, teri, and Devlinn Reiko-sama for reviewing!
John let out an exclamation that Alan was sure his father would not have approved of. Virgil sank his head into his hands. Scott paled. "Oh Lord," he groaned.
"Uh, Scott," Gordon said, "I think even He would find Grandma terrifying!"
Alan laughed, breaking some of the tension in the room. The phone, ringing again a second later, however, brought the tension back to the surface.
"What do we tell her?" Virgil asked, panicking slightly.
"OK, calm down," Scott ordered. "Alan, you answer. You're the youngest, and you can do the innocent look better than any of us. Do not mention anything about –"
Alan nodded. "Trust me, Scott, I'm not suicidal! I know what not to mention." He reached out nervously and answered the phone. "Hi Grandma," he said, as cheerfully as he could manage.
"Ah, hello Alan," Grandma responded. "Why did you take so long to answer?"
"Oh, uh, we were all outside," Alan answered.
"And you drew the short straw, and had to run up to the house to answer the phone, I suppose?" Grandma asked.
Alan began with: "Yeah –"
"You don't seem to be at all – worn out by the exercise," Grandma suggested.
Alan cursed inwardly. "Well, I didn't have to run so much as walk – and what are you suggesting, Grandma?" he asked playfully. "You suggesting that I'm not fit?"
Gordon offered silent thanks to Alan's quick-thinking. Nice save, little bro.
Grandma chuckled, though Alan could tell that she wasn't quite convinced. "So what have you boys been up to?"
Scott held his breath. "Oh, just – hanging around," Alan replied easily.
"Did your brothers enjoy the soccer last night?"
"Yeah," Alan answered, trying not to let any of his alarm show. "They had a really good time."
"Well, I'm glad. Now, you behave yourself, Alan Shepard Tracy," she told him firmly. "I'll be back tomorrow, and I want to find the house in one piece. I know perfectly well what five teenage boys can do to a house, or cars." Alan caught the suspicious edge to her voice, and resisted the urge to fall to his knees and beg forgiveness.
"Of course, Grandma!" he retorted, cockily. "Never fear. "
She gave a long-suffering sigh, diffused by the slight chuckle that followed.
"Why are you coming home early?" Alan asked cautiously.
"You father is coming home early too," Grandma told him. "He has to be back for business reasons. We'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon. I have to go now sweetie, but I'll see you then." She ended the call. Alan too disconnected, then grinned at his brothers. "That went well."
"She knows," John told him grimly. "Couldn't you tell?"
Gordon shook his head sadly. "You know, I was really trying to pretend that she didn't."
Scott rested his head against the desk. Cyclone Josie was coming home the following day, and by the sounds of things, the boys were in for it. Still, at least their father didn't know – yet.
"All right," he said, taking charge. "We have to take steps here. If there's no proof, then she can't get us – right?" He paused, but no one felt like shooting that premise down in flames, however flawed it was. "So, we have to make sure our room is spotless, and make sure that there's no way anyway can tell that the squirts got smashed last night. Or that Virgil got pulled over for speeding," he added, wincing as his brother shot him a vicious death-glare.
"That was not my fault!" Virgil protested.
John eyed him sarcastically. "Then whose was it? The little pixies driving the car instead of you?"
"Shut up John."
Alan sniggered.
"Don't you start," Virgil protested. "You are the reason we're in this mess in the first place!"
"Hey!" Alan yelled. "If you guys hadn't been so damn up tight about –"
"Language," Scott reprimanded. Alan ignored him.
"– that damn soccer match –"
"Language."
"– then we wouldn't be in this bloody predicament!"
"Language."
Gordon shook his head. "I knew I should have stayed in the country."
He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Scott turned on him with the look of a lion pouncing on a legless and half-dead zebra. "What did you just say?"
"Uh …" Oh boy …
The rest of his brothers – instead of offering any kind of support as he turned pleading eyes on them – stopped their own arguments and settled back to watch.
"You admit that you stayed out in the bush last night?"
"Well … not exactly …"
Scott closed the distance slowly. "You stayed out there in the bush … after Dad specifically ordered you not to stay out there alone?"
C'mon, someone help me out here guys … please?
"Uh … sorry?"
Five minutes later, he knew that those words had been a mistake. Apparently Scott was not interested in Gordon's apologies. He wanted nothing less than a contract – signed in Gordon's blood – stating that Gordon would never leave the house again.
"– I never want to have to do this again, Gordon! You guys have well and truly crossed the line over the last two days. Trashing our room, getting smashed, speeding –"
"You aren't still on about that, are you?" Alan yelled in disbelief.
"You broke the law, Alan!"
"In trashing your room?" Gordon protested.
Alan yelled, right over Gordo, "Come on, Scott, it's not like you guys are angels."
"Hey," Virgil protested, "I resent that!"
"Yeah, this is Mr '60-in-a-50-Zone' Virgil Tracy," John scoffed.
"– oh, come on John –"
"– the most irresponsible youngers brothers ever –"
"– I mean, don't you think you're overreacting a little –"
"– Scott, don't you dare baby me –"
"– you guys are all being so immature –"
"– overreacting?! You could have been killed –"
"– we're immature?! You are the one who fainted when Grandma called –"
"– if that little punk hadn't screwed everything up –"
"– Scott, it was just a little alcohol; loosen up a little –"
"– I do not believe the stuff you guys say –"
"– it's not my fault –"
"– a little alcohol? Alan, you drank enough to supply an army –"
"– you would know, Gordo, you gave it to him –"
"– don't get me started –"
"Well."
A quiet voice from the doorway stopped them all dead in their tracks.
"Sounds like you boys had a fun time."
Scott froze. Alan yelped in shock. John clutched the sofa for support. Virgil raised his eyes to heaven.
Only Gordo was brave enough to look the newcomer in the eye. "Uh … Hi Penny," he started nervously. "How have you been?"
Five minutes later, the five boys were settled around the lounge room, with Penny sitting at Jeff's desk, and Parker standing by the door. "It's nice to see you here, Penny," Scott said nervously.
Penny smiled at him. "It's lovely to be here, Scott. And it sounds like you boys have had a very nice time too." She smiled, a little too pleasantly. Virgil winced.
"Ah … yes … about that …" John began.
"You want me not to tell your father?"
Gordon nodded, exclaiming fervently, "Please!"
Penny frowned. "I'm not sure that would be right, boys. By the sounds of things, you boys have been doing some rather bad things."
"Well, not that bad," Alan protested, before John hit him on the arm.
Penny smiled again. "Well, here's the deal …"
Author's Note: Here's the end of Part 4. Only a few parts to go now! Please review :-)
