"What in the world is going on in here?" Stef halfway yelled causing Lilly to drop Lena's best earrings on the floor and then quickly try to hide them.

"Nothing." All three girls basically answered at once.

"First of all, I would like to have the earring that I just saw in my hand." Lilly hesitantly picked it up and put it in Stef's hand not really making eye contact. "Where is the other one?" Mariana quietly fished the other from her pocket and handed it to her mother.

"It's not what it looks like, Mom." Callie said drawing the attention off of the other two for a moment.

"Well, it looks like Lilly was going to pierce Mariana's ears with Mama's earrings. From my investigating skills it also appears that you planned ahead enough to bring towels and ice. Is that not what was going on, Callie?" Stef asked looking at her oldest daughter until she looked back down to the ground. "That's what I thought. Before I go any further in describing how stupid your plan actually was, I need to talk to Mama and Lilly's parents. Lilly, you are to wait in here on Callie's bed. Mariana, you are to go wait in my room. Callie, you are coming with me."

Lilly and Mariana went to their assigned spots already dreading the outcome enough without doing anything else. Callie followed Stef out of the room. "You know, Mom, I actually tried to stop them. I told them it was a bad idea and…"

"And when did you go downstairs and tell your mama what was going on?" Stef asked.

"Well, I didn't actually do that… I didn't want to get them in trouble by telling on them."

"If Brandon as much as looks at you wrong you still tell on him. Your sister can have someone sticking a dirty, blunt metal object in her ear and you just watch? Don't give me that tattle glove nonsense from your preschool days. There would have been blood and it is very dangerous. Both are covered in the reasons to tell on someone." Stef replied in a frustrated tone.

Stef was even more upset when she found out from Lena a few moments later that Callie had actually come downstairs and gotten the ice. Callie was sent to sit at the bottom of the stairs while the adults conferenced on the situation.

"Are you in trouble?" Brandon asked sitting down next to his sister.

"Probably. I am hoping the moms go easy on me. Mari wanted her ears pierced and Lilly thought she could do it herself with some of Mama's earrings. Mom came home at the wrong moment. She caught them. I was just watching, but you know, I should have done more to stop it. Honestly, I was kind of interested in the result."

"Or maybe Mom came at just the right moment?" Brandon said laughing a little. "If that's all you were doing, I bet you aren't in much trouble." Brandon assured his sister.

"I also got the ice for when I was afraid it would hurt really bad. I might have lied to Mama a bit to get the ice…"

"Mom hates lying. You are toast. You know they talk about everything."

"Yeah, I know. If only something happened that would get all the focus off of this situation. You know since Mariana's ears are both just fine, it would be no issue if something bigger was happening. The two little boys are playing in Jude's room happily, right? What if they weren't? Moms have a soft spot for Jude and he really wouldn't be in much trouble for whatever happened. I bet Jace's parents are like that, too." Callie said slowly looking for Brandon's support.

"It would have to be something sneaky that could not be traced back to either of us, but something that would cause almost instant tears…. For Jude right now, it could be related to food. If Jace was to eat turkey in front of him, he would go into hysterics." Brandon added thinking on the same lines.

"Right, but how can we set that up? Jude also loves his blanket. What if he thought something bad was happening to it? Maybe Jace would even just tease him about it and that would be a situation…"

"I think Matt said that Jace still sleeps with an animal of some sort, so I am not sure if that would work. Besides if something did happen to the blanket we would all have to listen to shrieking at bedtime for months. What if we were to concentrate on the other four boys instead? They are all playing basketball still. You know how competitive Jesus can get. Dylan is actually worse."

"Is that why you left the game earlier, Brandon?" Callie asked knowing that Brandon had been really hurt by the other boys.

"Sort of. Dylan said the teams would be uneven if we had five players. Everyone, including Matt, agreed Jesus was a better player and that I should be the sub. I just don't know when Matt got so into basketball. Last time we were together he still like other things. I had lots of other plans for him, but it is just not the same. He said Uno and Skip-Bo were for babies. We used to play that together all the time. I think he would rather hang out with Jesus than me."

"I am sure that isn't true. We have been friends with Matthew since preschool. Jesus wasn't even our brother then." Callie thought for a moment. "So, all it would take to start a conflict between the two of them would be have you join the game? You would be innocent enough, just wanting to play."

"You are good! Plus, if the fight was big enough the basketball would probably get taken away for the rest of the time they are here. It would take care of both of our issues." Brandon stood up and started to walk away. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck, B!"

None of the adults noticed Brandon walk through the room and go outside. "Hey guys, I have changed my mind and I want to play after all." He said trying to sound genuine.

The other boys were sure that either Phil or Lena had talked to him and knew he was sort of being left out before. They all knew they had to include him now. "Let's take a break and redo the teams to make it fair." Grant suggested.

"What if we played our family versus yours?" Dylan said smirking a little.

"No way! That's not fair!" Jesus yelled. "You are way bigger than us and there are more of you."

"So what? You would get to play..."

Grant realized he needed to get control from the others "Okay, how about the big two versus the little three? There would be three of you to make it a little more fair?"

The boys agreed and the game started. A few minutes later, Brandon got his wish. "I was fouled! I wouldn't have missed the shot if Jesus hadn't tripped me." Dylan yelled ready to hurt the younger boy.

"All I was doing was playing basketball. There are no fouls in these kinds of games. It is all fair." Jesus said getting equally into his face. "You just tripped over my foot anyway, I didn't do it purpose."

"Then shoving you won't be a foul either." Dylan said shoving Jesus to the ground. Grant got a hold of his brother as Matthew helped Jesus get back up. Brandon stood back and just watched hoping that this would soon reach the adults. Unfortunately, no adults were coming and the fight was breaking up already.

Brandon had to think quickly he had good experience riling up Jesus. "So is it our ball then?"

"NO!" "YES!" The two boys yelled at once effectively starting it back up.

This time Brandon hurried inside to tell himself before it could be worked back out. He burst into the back door and ran into the family room. "Moms! The boys are fighting outside! Dylan shoved Jesus!"

This got the attention of everyone, just as Brandon had hoped it would. All four parents jumped up and followed Brandon outside. Phil immediately got Dylan by the shoulders and took him off to talk to him. Jesus still looked furious and Stef took him back inside with her leaving the other three boys with Karen and Lena.

"What happened?" Lena asked.

"Jesus and Dylan were playing kind of mean. They were both guarding too close. Jesus tripped Dylan and made him miss a shot. Then he shoved Jesus." Matthew said looking to the others for confirmation.

"Hmmm, I think Jesus's basketball days are over for a little while. He has been in trouble for getting too competitive before."

"The same goes for Dylan. Can the three of you play without having this happen again?" Karen asked.

"I don't think I want to play anymore if that's okay, Mom." Matthew answered sadly.

"We could all at least use a break." Grant said handing the ball to his mom.

"What about you, Brandon? Wait, when did you even come back out here? Last I knew you were still upstairs and no longer playing?" Lena asked eyeing Brandon carefully.

"Um, I changed my mind. I just needed a little time to myself. Then I came back out here and we started to play and all of this sort of just happened. I don't need to play anymore either. I think I will just go inside now and read or something…."

Brandon started to walk away, but Lena caught his hand and pulled him to where she could whisper in his ear. "I am not exactly sure what is going on yet, but I do know that you were part of it." Lena released him and he walked into the house a little shaken.

Callie was watching by the back door. "Did you do it, B? Do you think it was big enough that I was forgotten about?"

"Mama suspects me, but didn't say anything about you. Let's go upstairs and get out of the way for a while. Do you want to play some Uno?"

"Sure. Should we invite Mariana and Lilly to join us, too? That way when Moms come upstairs they will just see all of us playing nicely."

Brandon and Callie hurried up the stairs. Callie went into her room to ask Lilly while Brandon went to get Mariana.

Lilly looked uncertain. "Are you sure, Callie? We are already in trouble. Your mom seemed kind of angry when she told me to stay right here…"

"If you stay here it will ruin everything. My mom wasn't that upset." Callie definitely said in her lying voice. "Mari's ears are both fine. She probably would have chickened out when it started to hurt anyway. Just come on."

Brandon appeared at the door. "Mari is on board and she is going to get the little boys to play with us, too. She is some sort of genius."

The kids settled in Jude's room on the floor and began to play. Soon they had pretty much forgotten about the trouble they were in as well. Stef climbed up the stairs less happy than she had been when she got home earlier. She heard laughter coming from the boys' room and peeked in for just a second to see all three girls, Brandon, and the two little boys all playing happily. She immediately went back down the stairs.

"So, Mama, you are once again correct. Brandon was very much involved. However, what you may not have known is that he is currently playing Uno with the girls. I think we have been played by some very crafty children."

"Surely not, Stef. Not our precious babies!" Lena said sarcastically with a little twinkle in her eye. "So what's the plan? Are we going to go up there and bust all of them?"

"No, we are going to get them back… Go find Phil and Karen we need another adult meeting. I certainly have an idea that will get the kids to confess themselves."

Matthew and Jesus went to join the other kids playing Uno. The other two boys went to watch TV in the family room. All the sudden the kids upstairs heard yelling.

"I don't want your kids anywhere near mine! Your daughter tried to put holes in my daughter's ears and your son hurt my little boy!" Stef yelled on the way up the stairs.

"You will be happy to hear that we are just going to pack up and leave in that case! My daughter was just trying to help yours out and my son only shoved after your purposely tripped him!" Phil yelled back.

All of the kids shuddered a little. Neither set of parents yelled very often and never like this. Jude started to whimper. Callie pulled him over onto her lap. "It's okay, Jude."

"No, it isn't! Jace and I were having a nice time and now he will have to go home! We didn't do anything and now they are fighting." Jude's tears now started spilling down his face.

Callie looked at Brandon with some guilt and he looked back with big eyes. "Go home then! This whole holiday plan was a bad idea!" Stef continued yelling.

The adults paused a little here thinking they would have the kids' attention. When there was no movement from the bedroom, Lena pulled out her biggest card. "Stef, if you are going to treat our guests like this, you are not welcome in our room or maybe not in our house!"

"I will stay with you, Lena! I think the two of us could enjoy this holiday together anyway. Maybe they will both go and take some of the kids with them." Karen added with a small wink.

Most of the kids were sniffling a little now, but it was Jude that hopped up. "Wait, Mommy! Don't leave me!"

Others quickly followed. "It was my fault, Mommy!" Marianna wailed. "I told Lilly that I wanted my ears pierced and she said she knew how to do it. I want you to stay and I really want Lilly to stay. We will get along better, I promise."

Stef put on arm around each of her youngest, but said almost nothing.

"Mari really wanted her ears pierced and I did think I could do it. Brittany got hers done for her birthday and I watched the guy in the mall. It looked easy. I didn't know that it was this bad. Don't send Daddy back home because of me."

Jesus went to hide in his closet like he had when he was first brought in this household. Matthew went into the hall, but he didn't really think he had caused any of these issues.

"What are we going to do, B?" Callie whispered to Brandon as soon as the other started leaving the room.

"I am not sure. What if you go talk to Mama while I talk to Mom? We have known them the longest. Then maybe we can get things straightened out. I don't want Mom to move out because we did something terrible."

By the time Callie and Brandon worked up the courage to do what they knew they needed to do, everyone except Lena and Stef had headed down the stairs leaving just the four of them. "Mama," Callie said quietly from the doorway. "I think I need to talk to you."

"That's good because Mom and I would like to talk to you also."

"Oh, I was hoping to just talk to you first…"

"I think all four of us need to have a discussion, but there will be plenty of time for just the two of us in the next week or so. Go have a seat."

Callie and Brandon sat down on Jude's bed and the mothers went to stand in front of them. Brandon cracked first. "I was playing with the other boys and then Jesus came to play. No one wanted me to play anymore because I am no good at basketball. I just wanted them to get in trouble so we could do something else. Matt is supposed to be my friend first." Brandon hung his head at this last statement.

Lena got down in front of him and gently cupped his chin in her hands bringing his face up where she could see his eyes. "You are my oldest baby. You have unique talents and abilities that are amazing. I asked what happened in the kitchen because I was worried about you. Next time you feel this way come and find me. I will tell you the truth."

"But Mama, they were already making fun of how I played. I didn't want to come tell you and have it be worse."

"No, you wanted to get all of them in trouble so no one could play anymore. You do realize that you and Matthew have been friends for a long time, right? You don't get to see him every day anymore, but you do email him and talk to him on the phone. He was very excited to see you. You have both changed some, but I think you can still be friends. It may just look a little different." Stef said still standing in front of the two kids. "What about you Callie? How are you involved?"

"I really wasn't…"

"Think about it again. I would like to have an explanation, but I could just ground you and have you explain later when you are twenty and still grounded…"

Callie rolled her eyes a little. "Mariana wanted her ears pierced like I said before. I didn't think it was a good plan, but I did sort of want to see if it would work. I went to get ice because I thought it would hurt. I am sorry that I liked to Mama to get the ice, but if I told her what was going on, we would have had to stop. Brandon came by while I was sitting on the stairs. I thought maybe if you were distracted you would forget about me."

"Now what do you think?" Stef asked eyeing Callie.

"I am thinking no…. Are you really going make them leave? Are you guys going to be okay?"

"Those are interesting questions. Just as the two of you plotted to get other people to fight, we all planned this together to get the confessions. You to realize, though, that your actions could have had serious consequences, right?"

Both kids nodded and Lena moved them over so she could sit between them for a little while. "Honestly, the attempted ear piercing and the small fight over basketball were neither one big deals. The fact you were trying to sneak around is worse. If either of you had practiced honesty today, neither of you would be in trouble with us. Now, you both are."

The closet made a little noise and Stef opened the door surprising Jesus. "Hey, Mom…"

"Do you have another part in this you need to share with us also, Jesus?"

"Well, sort of… I was playing in here with Jude, but he only wanted to play with Jace. They said I was doing it all wrong. So, I was really happy when I thought the boys outside wanted me to play with them. I teased Brandon and made him want to leave so I could play instead."

"Come over and sit with us, Buddy." Lena said motioning Jesus to sit right in front of her. "What I am seeing from really all three of you is that it is really hard to share you siblings with your friends. Jesus, you play with Jude almost all the time. Seeing him want to play with someone else made you sort of jealous. Since Brandon wanted to play with Matt, he sort of had the same feelings when he saw you playing with him instead. Mariana and Lilly are still both your best friends, Callie. You stuck around because you wanted to still be with them. I can promise you all, though, that when the others have gone home you will always have each other."

"I think we need to have a family night on Friday after they have gone home. What do you think, Mama?" Stef asked with her heart melting watching her wife with three of their children.

"I think that is a must. I also think you were right earlier when you said we needed to do some grounding. In fact, go grab Mariana. She needs to be in on this as well."