Chapter 25

"Leif! Leif!" the two voices cried, poking at him, waking him up from a good dream about him and Naomi when they were older.

He grunted, brushing them off and putting the covers over his head.

"Leif," Briana poked at him.

"Do you two ever give up? WHAT?"

"Get up. It's morning."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Captain Obvious."

"Mama has breakfast," Bobbie announced.

"So go get some and leave me alone," Leif snorted. "I got in late last night."

"Daddy always comes in late and he's not crabby to us," Briana said.

"That's because he's secretly arranging to put you out at a two for one sale for slavery," Leif quipped. "There's a lot of money to be paid for little girls with blonde hair."

"MAMA!" Briana yelled.

"Damn, girl, can you keep it down to a dull roar? You almost blew out my eardrums," Leif cried.

"What's going on?" Mariah asked.

"Leif says Daddy is planning to sell us to slavery," Bobbie pouted.

"For a lot of money 'cause we're girls and got blonde hair," Briana added.

"Leif Brian, what have I told you about saying things like that to them?" Mariah said sternly.

"Well, they were being a pain in the butt, like always."

"Still, don't tell them things like that." She turned to comfort the little blonde girls. "Daddy's not selling you to anyone. Besides, he'd have to ask me first."

Bobbie stuck her tongue out a Leif. "So there."

"Little brats," he snorted.

"And speaking of slavery, young man, you need to clean up this room, not to mention Squishy's box needs done."

"Aw, Mom. I'm tired. Can I do it later?"

"Your dad's gone almost 300 days a year and still does things around here. Now get your butt in gear and—"

"Yeah, yeah." Leif dragged himself out of bed. "I'll get it done after I'm dressed."

"All right, breakfast will be downstairs," Mariah reminded him.

She went downstairs, the twin girls in tow, as Leif made his way down the hall toward the bathroom. He had discovered Brian's cigarette stash the night before while getting ready for the dance and slipped one out of the cubbyhole and lit it, opening the window and locked the door before taking a few long drags. Leif had tried it at school with a couple of guys; he'd coughed at first, but then it seemed cool..

Besides, Leif reasoned, Dad smoked, and if he was doing it, surely it couldn't be all as bad as Mom let on.

Once he'd finished the cigarette, Leif flushed the butt down the toilet, sprayed Febreze, took a quick shower and dressed before joining his mom and sisters downstairs for breakfast. Between Naomi letting him cop a feel the night before and the smoke he'd just had, he was feeling a lot more manly this morning.

Meanwhile:

"Michael Preston London, I will freaking snap your neck in two!" Mac seethed

Michael laughed. "Good luck with that. I'm bigger than you these days and could easily kick your ass if you weren't a girl. And Pops taught me not to hit chicks."

"I cannot believe you would do that to Kent!"

"What? It isn't like it's not common knowledge dude drives on both sides of the highway. I was just trying to prove a point."

"By stealing his phone and posing as a gay sex line when I called? You are such a pig!"

"You never notice him checking guys' asses when you go out? Damn, Mac, a blind person could see that shit. He's ogled Pops' ass when he's here, not to mention I've caught him staring at mine." Michael shuddered at the last statement. "And for the record, I don't swing that way."

"It's bad enough to have Papi in my business all the time; evidently he's forgotten I'm now a grown woman. The last thing I need is a fifteen year old kid sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."

"You ever stop to think Pops and I are just looking out for you girls?"

"I'm serious, Mike. Stay with your high school bullshit and keep out of my life. If there's a problem with Kent, he's my boyfriend and I'll deal with it. No more of your stupid pranks."

"Suit yourself. No skin off my ass if you want to be with a closet homo. I prefer my dates to have a nice rack myself. By the way, did you get a tit job recently?"

"Michael!" Mac exclaimed.

"Well, they're hard not to notice, and it isn't like you had much before."

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes."

"And to think you're wasting those babies on that loser Kent. So what made you want to blow up your boobs? You ain't planning on doing porn or something, are you?"

"For God's sake, Mike, do you ever quit? No. I was wanting to model on the side and well, the agency said I needed some, well, let's say 'enhancing' to get some jobs."

Michael's eyes widened. "Naked? Jesus, Pops would have a stroke."

"No, bikini work, trade shows, things like that."

Michael let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jesus. I can deal with that kind of stuff. Kind of creepy saying this about my sister, but you are kind of hot in a bathing suit."

Mac managed a smile. "Considering it's coming from my little brother that's a typical horny teenager, I feel flattered. Now no more pulling pranks on my friends. Got it?"

Michael nodded. "As long as I get the first autographed copy of your very first gig, no problem. But no naked shit."

She kissed his cheek, causing Michael to blush a little. "I promise."