Chapter 3

4 years later… (E; 9-years old. A; 16-years old. MM; 37-years old.)

Mary Margaret is having a hard time, a really hard time. She's dealing with a 9-year old that loves adventure- which is great, unless said 9-year old decides to take an adventure in the woods, without telling anyone- and a 16-year old that's acting out.

"Emma Ruth Blanchard! Get down from there this instant!" Mary Margaret demanded.

Emma- who was up in the tree shrugged and climbed down. "What'd I do?"

"What did you do?" Mary Margaret repeated. Emma shrugged. "You were supposed to be home from Angie's how 2 hours ago Emma!"

Emma gave her a the famous charming- albeit sheepish- smile. "Sorry?"

Mary Margaret groaned, she couldn't stay mad at her, Emma even has David's smile, which gets her a long way when she's about to get in trouble. "Come on honey." She sighed. "Let's go home."

Sierra- who was with Mary Margaret on her search for Emma- chuckled at Mary Margaret's inability to stay mad at the child when she uses that smile.

Emma leaned on her mother and they began walking home. "Am I in trouble?" She asked.

"Tons." Mary Margaret answered simply.

The three of them walked back to Mary Margaret's 3-bedroom house- that she upgraded to when Emma turned 8- in a comfortable silence.

"I'm gonna go upstairs and talk with August while you… ground her alone. I'm also staying for dinner. I have something to tell you guys." Sierra said after they got inside. Emma rolled her eyes and Mary Margaret nodded.

"Emma." Mary Margaret started. "You know what you did wrong, correct?" Emma nodded and her mother looked at her expectantly. She rolled her eyes. "Cut it out with that eye roll Em."

She sighed. "I didn't come straight home from Angie's house, like I was supposed to do." She said. "I'm sorry mom."

"You're grounded. No TV, no hanging out with friends. Straight to and from school. Give me your game boy." She told her daughter.

Emma's mouth was slightly agape. "But-"

"Nope. No but's." She said firmly and held her hand out. Emma pouted and pulled her game boy out of her pocket and placed it in her mother's hand.

Just then, Sierra came down the stairs. "Where's bug?" She asked. "He's not upstairs."

Mary Margaret's eyes went wide, then she remembered a conversation she had with her son last week.

XXX

"Hey mama. Whatch'ya doin'?" He asked her.

She eyed him suspiciously. He hasn't called her 'mama' since he was 10, unless he wants something or apologizing for something. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Cooking. Why?"

He feigned offense. "Can't a son ask what his wonderful- and not to mention beautiful and amazing- mother is doing?" He questioned.

She laughed. "He can. But only when he wants something, or did something wrong" She shot back. "What is it?"

"So… there's this party- that Aiden's throwing- next week." He started.

Mary Margaret sighed. "August. You know how I feel about parties in this land. They're full of drugs and alcohol. They're no good for anyone."

"Mom. I won't touch any of it. I promise."

She sighed again. "Will there be adult supervision?"

"Mama. We're almost adults ourselves. We don't need adult supervision for a party that will last like 4 or 5 hours." He defended.

"So that's a no on the adult supervision?" She asked and he nodded. "Then that's my answer. No. Sorry Aug."

"That's not fair!" He said with an attitude. "You never let me go to parties." He said and stormed up the stairs. Mary Margaret sighed.

XXX

"There's a party he wanted to go to. He asked me about it last week, I said no. He was pretty upset about it." She sighed. "Will you watch her?" Sierra nodded. "I'll be back in less than an hour."

Mary Margaret drove to Aiden's- August's friend's- house and just walked in. She wasn't in the mood for some teenager answering the door and getting in the way.

When she walked inside, it reeked of alcohol. She spotted August almost immediately. His back was facing her, but she knew it was him because of his hat- the one his father gave him as a boy- sticking out of his back pocket- he took the thing everywhere- probably so he has a piece of his father everywhere he goes. The next thing she noticed was the beer in his hand.

August was laughing at a joke that his friend- Jonathan- told them. He took a drink of the beer in his hand, until he heard his very angry mother behind them. "August Wayne Blanchard!"
He froze. He looked up at Aiden and Jonathan, panic written all over his face, then noticed they were both wide-eyed. He slowly sat the beer on the table next to him- praying that she didn't see it- then turned around. "Hey mom." He said casually. "What-" He shut himself up after seeing her very angry face.

"Car. Now." She told him, then turned to Aiden. "Clear this place out Aiden. I'm calling your mother." He only nodded.

The car ride was eerily quiet, mostly because Mary Margaret was trying to calm herself down. When they got home, he went inside and sat on the couch, waiting for his mother to come inside. He glanced at his aunt and sister chatting in the kitchen. Mary Margaret walked inside. "Mom-"

She held a hand up. "I don't want to hear it." She sighed. "How much did you have to drink." She asked him. He looked down, avoiding eye contact. She knew he wouldn't lie to her. "Look at me August." He obliged. "How much?"

He looked down. "I… had 4 beers." He mumbled. "Mom, I'm sorry. Please don't be-"

"What were you thinking August?! There is a good reason that I don't want you going to those parties! I don't just enjoy telling you no!" She ran a hand over her face.

"It sure does seem like it." He mumbled.

Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" He shrugged. "Answer me right now August Wayne."

"I said it sure does seem like you enjoy telling me no!" He shot back. "You never let me do anything. I was one damn party! What's the big deal?!"

Her eyes widened. He's never spoken to her like that. "You watch your tone with me!"

"Why?!" He questioned. "You're not my-" He cut himself off eyes wide. "I…" He stormed upstairs.

Mary Margaret stood there in shock. She didn't even move until she heard her best friend's voice. "Are you okay Mare?"

She spun around, putting on a brave face. "I'm fine." She insisted. "What do you guys want for dinner?"

Noticing that her friend didn't want to talk about it, she decided to answer her question. "I threw a frozen pizza in the oven a little before you got home. It should be done in a few minutes."

Emma could see how upset her mother. "I'm going to the bathroom." Emma went up the stairs and passed the bathroom, going straight to her brother's room.

August was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, when he heard someone come in his room. He looked over and saw his sister. "Go away Emma."

"You hurt mom's feelings. She said she's fine, but she's just pretending. She is your mom Auggie. Just like I'm your sister. She's our mom. Just because she didn't have you, like she had me, it doesn't mean she's not your mom too."

He already felt guilty. Emma was just adding onto it. He didn't mean it. He was angry. "As if I feel bad enough already Em. Thanks." He retorted. "Just get out. Just because you're the- God almighty- savior, doesn't mean I need to be saved." He regretted after seeing the look of hurt in her eyes.

She slumped her shoulders. "You need to apologize." She said and left the room, going down stairs where a plate of pizza was waiting for her. "Thanks. Is Auggie coming down?"

"He needs time to calm down. I'll take him a plate up after we eat." They had been sitting down eating for a few minutes when she remembered. "Oh! I totally forgot Si, you wanted to tell us something. Don't worry, I'll pass the message to August."

Sierra smiled. "I didn't want to tell you guys until it was official, but… Henry and I, we've been trying to adopt a little boy- Tyler. It's going to be finalized tomorrow." She informed them.

Despite everything that's happened tonight, Mary Margaret smiled. "That's fantastic Si!"

"Does that mean Auggie and I are gonna be Tyler's big cousin's… wait, how old is he?"

Sierra nodded. "Yes peaches, you will both be big cousin's. He just turned 8. He'll be in the second grade at your school starting Friday. We want to give him a few days to settle in before sending him to school."

After dinner Mary Margaret heated August up a piece of pizza and took it upstairs. She knocked on her son's door and heard a faint, "come in."

"Hey." She sat on the edge of his bed after setting his plate on a small table in his room. "Ready to talk?"

August sat up. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it. You are my mom. You're my mama. You always will be."

She brushed the hair out of his face. "I know you didn't mean it baby. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that either. I was pretty angry too." She pulled him into a hug. "I love you Aug."

"I love you too mama." He broke the hug. "Emma paid me a visit."

She chuckled. "I had a feeling. Her bathroom break came at a pretty convenient time."

"How long am I grounded?" He asked.

She sighed. "A month. You know the rules. Give me your pager." He sighed, but didn't argue. "Your going to be a cousin tomorrow." He raised an eyebrow that Mary Margaret couldn't help but laugh at. "They're adopting an 8-year old boy. It'll be finalized tomorrow." She couldn't help but smile at his smile. "Now, she's about to leave. Let's go say goodbye."

The two walked downstairs and August went over and hugged his aunt. "Congrats aunt Sierra."

"Thanks bug. You apologized, right?" She asked him. He nodded. "Good." She kissed his forehead. "I thought for sure I was gonna have to knock some sense into you."

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