Chapter 346: Beaulieu Manor
Wednesday, February 1st, Afternoon (Eastern Standard Time)
The day was uneventful, so after getting home and doing her homework. She had to help her friend do as well; she ended up having to watch her niece and nephew, plus two. So, Sawyer Scott grabbed some nail polish and headed down to the television parlor. Her best friend, and co-aunt, Kendall "Keni" Stafford, would also help watch the kids. Keni was a co-aunt because two of the kids were from Sawyer's brother's marriage to Keni's sister.
Sawyer and Keni were a contrast between light and dark and also in size and attitude. Sawyer is athletic, tall, with curly light blonde hair and intelligent green eyes. Keni is tiny; she's short and slender, dark-eyed, and had brownish hair of her dad compared to the near raven black hair of her mom. Boys approached Sawyer and talked about the bubbly blonde, but when the same boys were asked about Keni, all they could say is she's small.
The two teenagers sat across from each other with several bottles of nail polish between them. Sawyer would look over and see her niece, Naomi "Nomi" Scott, and nephew, Ellis Scott, working on their homework. Sawyer noted Nomi looked a lot like she did when they were about the same age, except Nomi's raven black hair. Ellis was small for his age and had the same raven black hair. The other two kids they were watching were Sawyer's cousins, Jessica "Jess" Scott, a tall blonde whose mom is Sawyer's aunt. The other is Wyatt Scott, a raven-haired cousin once removed; his's dad was Sawyer's uncle Nathan's younger son. Wyatt is also Keni's nephew, as Wyatt's mom is Keni's sister.
Sawyer looked down at her nails and started to consider the pattern she wanted to paint on them. She sighed and picked up the dark bottle of gel nail polish. Slowly, Sawyer started to shake the bottle to mix it up. Sawyer glanced over the table at Keni.
"What are you thinking about?" Keni asked.
"It's almost the last regular-season home game for the seniors," Sawyer said.
"Friday, right?" Keni asked.
"Yeah, Friday," Sawyer said, "I'd figure you'd know this."
"I show up where they tell me to," Keni said.
"Sure, whatever you say," Sawyer said.
"Okay," Keni said and shook her head, "What'cha doing?"
"I'm thinking pointers in black," Sawyer said.
"Hamm Raven Blue and Black," Keni said and looked at her nails.
"What are you thinking?" Sawyer asked.
"Why am I wearing a bra," Keni said.
"Seriously, Keni?" Sawyer asked.
"Well, I'm home and not planning to go anywhere. Anyways, it's not like a need all that much support," Keni said.
"Little kids here, Keni," Sawyer said.
"Well, two of them will have to deal with it soon enough, and the other two would well, you know," Keni said.
"That's some assumptions there," Sawyer said.
"Anyway, I'm thinking blue for my ring fingers," Keni said.
Sawyer looked at Keni with a tilted head, "Black always suited you the best," Sawyer said.
"How about doing a color shift?" Wyatt asked from across the room. Wyatt was the oldest of the four kids they were "watching."
Sawyer looked up over Keni to Wyatt. "What's that, Wyatt?" Sawyer asked.
Wyatt stood up and walked over; he smiled and took Sawyer's hand. Wyatt laid it out and pointed to her pinky. "You paint it one color, and you paint your thumb the other. On the other three fingers, you make it look like it's fading from one color to the other," Wyatt said.
Sawyer nodded, "Hmmm, I like the idea," she said.
"Yeah, but that's beyond my ability," Keni said.
"For now," Sawyer said, to Keni, chiding her on her lack of confidence.
"Yeah, for now," Keni said and rolled her eyes.
"You don't like the idea?" Wyatt asked.
Sawyer shook her head, "No, I like it, I do, it's just Keni, and I aren't quite good enough to do it yet," she said.
"Okay," Wyatt said.
"Wyatt," Keni said.
"Yes, Aunt Keni," Wyatt said.
Keni winched when Wyatt called her Aunt Keni. Keni was only four years older than Wyatt.
"Why, don't you hang out with Jess and Nomi?" Keni asked.
Sawyer looked up at Keni as she prepared to paint her nails. After a moment, she carefully started to paint her thumbnail.
"I don't think they like me much," Wyatt said.
"Why would you say that?" Keni asked. Sawyer tried to remain focused on painting her nails and staying out of the conversation Keni seemed to be starting.
"Well, I think part of it is because I suck at basketball, and they're good at it," Wyatt said.
"So, they like me, and I suck at basketball," Keni said.
"So, you're short," Wyatt said.
This last statement piqued Sawyer's interest; she looked up and arched an eyebrow. It looked like soon; she was going to have to intervene and be a good cousin.
"We're the same height," Keni said, pointing out Wyatt, at eleven years old, was the same height as Keni, who is fifteen.
"But that's fine for a girl," Wyatt said.
"Wyatt," Sawyer said, "Life's not all about basketball."
"You used to play," Wyatt said.
"Yes, and I don't anymore," Sawyer said.
"But they like you," Wyatt said.
"They like you too," Sawyer said.
"I'm not sure; they treat me like my brother and sister," Wyatt said.
"Why do you say that?" Keni asked.
"They, I don't know, ignore me," Wyatt said.
"Maybe, it's because they don't see you all the time," Keni said.
"Lacy can be a bit of a bitch too," Nomi said from the sofa.
Sawyer looked up at Nomi, "Nomi, did you learn that word from me?" she asked.
"No," Nomi said.
"Then who?" Sawyer asked.
"My dad," Nomi said.
"Oh, okay, good, it wasn't me," Sawyer said.
Keni laughed, "Well, Lacy is a handful," she said.
"My mom says she's her mom's daughter," Nomi said, "Whatever does that mean?"
"It means she acts like her mom," Jess said.
"Oh," Nomi said.
"Wyatt," Keni said.
"Yes, Aunt Keni," Wyatt said.
"You just have to be patient and keep working on the relationships," Keni said.
"Does it work?" Wyatt asked.
"Yes, it does," Keni said.
"It does?" Wyatt asked.
"Yes, it's how Sawyer and I became close to Aunt LK," Keni said.
Wyatt nodded, "Okay," he said.
"What does bitch mean?" Ellis asked.
"It's a word you don't use," Sawyer said.
"Why?" Ellis asked.
"It's not polite," Sawyer said.
Sawyer sighed and switched to painting her nails on her other hand. She looked over to see Wyatt nod and head back to where he once sat. Keni looked back towards Sawyer.
"Why do we have nieces and nephews?" Keni asked.
"Because in your case, your sisters keep having kids, and for me because my brother can't keep it in his pants," Sawyer said.
"Yeah, so, I wonder, what's going on," Keni said.
"What do you mean?" Sawyer asked.
"There seems to be something bad happening," Keni said.
"Why do you say that? Please, don't give me any of that internet bull," Sawyer said.
"Just, Izzy disappeared early; the only reason she'd do that is if her string-pullers demanded it," Keni said.
"I don't know, Keni," Sawyer said, "But please hurry up so I can use the black when the blue dries."
"Fine!" Keni said and went about painting her nails.
