Chapter 5

Malcolm was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework when Reese came in. He was furious because he and Dewey had arrived home by 3:30, just as their mom had ordered. Reese, who was responsible for them being grounded in the first place, had been out doing what he wanted. "What's wrong with you?" Malcolm yelled when his brother walked through the door.

"What are you talking about?" Reese asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He wondered if it was obvious he'd been drinking.

"I'm talking about mom, you moron! She told us to be home at 3:30, remember?" Malcolm said impatiently.

"Oh. Yeah, I remembered." Reese relaxed a little.

"So where the hell have you been then?" Malcolm pressed.

"She didn't call to check up on us, did she?" He knew that she would have insisted that each of them get on the phone so she could be sure that they were all at home.

"No. You got lucky this time."

Reese breathed a sigh of relief. "If she asks, I was here the whole time."

Dewey walked in from the living room where he was watching TV and kicked Reese hard in the leg.

"What the hell was that for?" Reese demand.

"We've been sitting here all afternoon because of you and you weren't even here!" Dewey shouted.

"You were the one who started it this morning, It's you're fault we got grounded!"

"Who cares whose fault it was?" Malcolm retorted. "Just shut up about it already. It's OVER!"

"I'm telling mom you were late." Dewey muttered angrily.

"You won't if you know what's good for you." Reese warned.

"Seriously Reese, why would you want to go against her on today of all days? Don't you think that you're in enough trouble already?" Malcolm asked.

"You see, that's the beauty of it Malcolm. I'm already in so much trouble that I'll probably be grounded until I'm thirty. What more could they possibly do to me? I thought that I should at least get to enjoy my last afternoon of freedom."

"What did you do this time Reese?" Dewey asked.

"Let's see, first I got in a fight—which was not my fault, by the way. So then I cussed out Herkabe and he suspended me for a month. Then I figured 'what the hell' so I ditched afternoon classes. Yeah, I think that about covers it."

"A month!" Dewey exclaimed. "You won't have to worry about being grounded. Mom's just going to kill you."

"Actually, it's only two weeks." Malcolm spoke up. "I talked him out of the whole month thing."

"Really? Thanks Malcolm...I appreciate you having my back." Reese said sincerely.

"You owe me big time! At least you'll have a chance to pass now. She's still going to be really pissed when she finds out what you said to Herkabe though"

"Did you hear what he said to me?"

"He was totally wrong to talk to you like that and you shouldn't let it get to you, Reese. Everyone knows that he's just an egotistical jackass."

"Mom's home!" Dewey called out as he looked out the kitchen window.

"Damn! Just let it be over with quickly." Reese whimpered.

"Hi boys." Lois said as she came through the door carrying their little brother Jamie. Surprisingly, she seemed to be in a good mood. "What's going on?" She plopped Jamie down in his high chair where he was content, for the moment.

"Nothing." Malcolm responded a little too quickly.

"Yeah, just talking mom." Dewey added.

"You mean you all are actually talking to each other like civil human beings?" She asked, eyeing them suspiciously. .

"Sure mom. We're all sorry about this morning. We really do appreciate the time you spend to make breakfast everyday. We promise it won't happen again." Reese spoke up, hoping that his apology sounded heartfelt. He really needed to get on her good side today.

"Ok ok, you don't have to lay it on so thick, Reese. You're all off the hook."

"Thanks mom." The three brothers said in unison.

"I'll finish this in my room so I'm not in the way" Malcolm said, gathering his papers off the kitchen table. Reese followed him to their bedroom and Dewey went back to the living room to watch TV.

"Oh man, she doesn't know yet. I can't take this!" Reese cried, shutting the door to their bedroom. He took off his jacket and threw it on his bed. The cigarettes that he'd borrowed from Jade rolled out of the pocket, but neither of them noticed.

"I guess you could go tell her and get it over with." Malcolm suggested, plopping down on his bed.

"What? You've got to be kidding me."

"She'll find out either way."

I know, but I'm not going to be the one who tells her! Maybe Herkabe changed his mind."

"I seriously doubt it….Hey, what's that smell?" Malcolm asked.

"What smell? I don't smell anything." Reese said.

"I don't know. It kinda smells like alcohol…and smoke, or something. It seems to be coming from…." Malcolm rose from his bed to follow the scent, but it didn't take long for him to figure it out. "You've been drinking!"

"So what?" Reese retorted. "It was only a few beers! It's not like I'm drunk."

"Are you crazy? Mom will be able to smell it!"

"I'll just put on some cologne. I guess you've forgotten how you got totally wasted last Thanksgiving and ruined the damn dinner that I spent all day cooking? You don't have any right to say one word so get off my case!"

"Ok, you're right. It's not a big deal. You better just hope that mom doesn't notice…but why do you smell like smoke?" Malcolm asked.

"I met this girl during lunch and we hung out after school. That's where I was. She and her friends smoke. I guess the smell got on my clothes. Any more questions?" Reese asked defensively. "Geez, you're acting like mom!"

"Hi boys!" Hal, their father, opened the door to greet them after coming home from work. He walked over and sat on Reese's bed, pushing his jacket out of the way. The cigarettes rolled onto the floor. "What are you up to?"

"Not much." The brothers replied. Their eyes widened in alarm when they both spotted the cigarettes lying right next to their dad's feet. Hal, who could be a bit ditzy at times, didn't notice the cigarettes or his sons' uneasiness.

"Were j-just doing our homework dad, that's all." Malcolm stuttered.

"Reese, you're doing homework?" Hal sounded surprised. "That's great son, I'm glad to see you making an effort these days. I'll let you boys get back to work then. See you at dinner."

"Ok dad." They said nervously as he left the room.

"She smokes? She smokes?" Malcolm fumed, plucking the cigarettes from the floor. "Then what the hell are YOU doing with THESE? Do you have a death wish or something, Reese? Are you going for an all time record for how much trouble you can get into in one day?"

"Shhhh! Shut up Malcolm, they'll hear you!" Reese put his hands on his brother's shoulders in an effort to calm him down. "Please don't tell them about this. Please!" He knew that he was at Malcolm's mercy so there was no need to act tough anymore.

"This is serious, Reese. I don't know if I should cover for you this time. It's got to be the stupidest thing you've ever done! You know how hard it was for Francis to quit!"

"I'm begging you, Malcolm. Please don't say anything. I only smoked one cigarette. I just have those to help me calm down after mom gets through with me. I swear I won't do it anymore after that. Just don't tell them!" Reese pleaded.

"HE DID WHAT?" Their mother's voice bellow throughout the house all the way from the kitchen.

"Shit! She knows!" Reese cried out.

XXXXX

A/N: Thanks for your review skat8erchick, I'm glad you like it!