Hey the next chapter!!! WOO HOO!!!! enjoy,
Thanks to my usual people...I'm really too tired to figure it out...hehe
The next morning I woke up and everything hurt, namely my back and throat.
"Media, you got me sick!" I croaked.
"I'm seepin" she muttered from the pillow. I tried going back to sleep but Spot decided that this would be the opportune moment to wake us up.
"Hurry up and get in da showah Angel!" he said. I groaned and rolled over in my bed. Next thing I know I was getting splashed in the face with water.
"Oh, you're gonna re-re ACHOO!" I sneezed.
"What was dat Angel?" Spot smirked.
"You're dead!" I croaked starting to chase him out of my room, but stopped when a sudden coughing fit drove me to the floor.
"Ya okay dere?"
"What do you think?" I glared at him.
"I tink ya look like crap." He said running.
"UGH," I said heading back to bed, but decided I should tell my dad that I was sick instead. I managed to stumble downstairs without killing myself, for once. I walked into the kitchen looking for my dad, though all I found were mom and Spades.
"Mom, where's dad?"
"He's in his office sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked turning around from the stove, and then nearly dropping the pan she was holding she shrieked. "Angelica Faith Conlon, march yourself back upstairs to your bed!"
"I will as soon as I tell dad I'm not working." I said going into yet another coughing fit.
"What is all this racket in here?" my dad asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"I'm sick." I said, giving him my best sad puppy eyes.
"I can see that," he said trying to get into the kitchen without getting too close to me.
"I can't go to work today."
"Yeah, don't please." My dad said grabbing his keys and ushering Spot and Spades out the door.
I turned around and headed back to bed for a peaceful, sort of, day in bed. A few hours later my mom came upstairs yelling for us to get up.
"Aleisha, Riley, get up, I've got work for you two!" she yelled from out in the hall.
"I'll go if there's coffee." I heard Media say next to me.
"Five more minutes!" Dodger yelled from her room. I figured I wouldn't get any more sleep with everyone running around so I drug myself out of bed and out into the hall.
"I don't think so young lady, back to bed!" my mom said sternly pointing at my room.
"At least let me sit on the couch." I said miserably.
"Fine, if you promise to rest." My mom conceded.
"I will." I said walking downstairs and flopping on the comforting couch to get thrown off and onto the floor. To my sick and tired mind this did not make sense so I was about to try again when I heard Mush talk.
"Get away from me!" he mumbled.
"Move over." I said.
"Why"
"Because I don't want to stay in my bed all day!" I said starting to hack.
"Uh, you're gonna get me sick!"
"Not if you move."
"Uh, let me get up" he said climbing to his feet.
"Why are you down here anyway?"
"Sleeping in the same room as your brother is like sleeping in the same room with a chainsaw!" Mush grumbled.
"Oh, I should have warned you, he snores."
"No snoring is tolerable, that was not human!"
"Yeah, sorry bout that." I said feeling another sneeze coming on.
"What was your mom shouting about?"
"She wanted Media and Dodger to help her do something. Pass the blanket, it's freezing in here!"
"Ok, what did she need help with?"
"I don't know. Go ask her." I said curling up under the fleecy warmness of the blanket.
"Ok" he said walking off.
"What are you doing up?" I heard my mom yell at him.
"I want to help." He said, I laughed he was gonna get it.
"You can help by getting your butt back in bed, or at least on the couch!" she said.
"I'm not sick." He protested.
"You're all bruised up, that's not exactly healthy!"
"It looks worse than it feels!"
"Don't raise your voice at me!"
"Sorry"
"Now do you need an icepack?"
"No, I'm good."
"Then go sit down."
"But-"
"No but's, no go." She said pushing him into the room.
"There's no winning with her is there?" he asked sitting down on the couch.
"No, once she's in overprotective mother mode, you're powerless to stop her." I croaked.
"Angelica, make sure he doesn't get out of bed, Aaron, make sure she doesn't get out of bed either." My mom called from the kitchen.
"You've got the easy job, I'm not gonna move." I told Mush.
"What am I supposed to do all day?"
"See that remote?"
"Yeah"
"Pick it up"
"Ok"
"Hit the power button"
"Are you serious."
"Yes punch it"
"Ok don't kill me"
"Now, channel surf."
"I'm gonna go crazy" Mush said with a sigh.
"You'll get used to it."
"Nut butt!" Media came calling as she jumped on me, causing me to hack up a lung.
"Morning." I said in between coughs.
"Sorry" she said getting off of my chest.
"Media what are you doing?" Mush asked.
"I'm gonna go feed the horses." She replied heading to the back door.
"Take me with you!" Mush pleaded.
"Did you ask Aunt Maggie?"
"Never mind."
"Ha." I jeered. "No one in this family goes against my mom's law."
"Quiet hacky!" he snapped.
"Take that." I said kicking him.
"OW! I'm going back to Spot's room" he said holding his side.
"Never insult a sick Conlon!"
"You're mentally sick all the time!" he said.
"You're lucky that I don't feel like beating you up!" I yelled before hacking again.
"Hahaha. Ow, stupid bruises." Mush said.
"You two be quiet!" my mom interjected.
"Yes ma'am." We replied. I dozed on and off for an hour when I heard Media talking on the phone.
"Is that so? Oh, will I dunno she's awfully busy with her other boyfriends. Uh huh, no I'm just messin with ya Jacko. I'll see if she's up. Hey Squishy Face, you awake?" she asked poking my side.
"Nmma." I squaked.
"Do you wanna talk to Jack?"
"Huh?"
"Well, there's this wonderful thing called a phone, and people can call each other and…"
"Gimme" I said grabbing the phone from her hand.
"Hello?" I squeaked, since when did I squeak?
"Angel is dat you?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Ya sound like ya swallowed a frog."
"You're too kind Jack."
"Yeah, uh I hoid ya was sick, and I figgahed ya might want some soup."
"Uh, yeah, soup, good."
"I'll bring ya some as soon as I get off okay?"
"Yeah sure, soup."
"Bye Angel."
"Bye Jack."
"Like you don't have soup in the pantry." Media commented as soon as I hit the off button.
"Whatever"
"Awww, you want to see his pretty little face." She said pinching my cheek.
"I'll give you 5 seconds to get your hand off of my cheek before I bite you." I glared.
"Okay I won't touch you, but I'll still tease you about Jack Kelly, muah muah." She said mockingly.
"Go away!" I croaked and hid under the blanket.
"Aw I have no where to go, Mush is sleeping again!"
"There's a TV in the corner, use it!" I said from under the blanket.
"There's nothing on!"
"Watch a movie!"
"Meh, I'll just go for a walk." She said leaving the vicinity.
I settled into the blanket again preparing to drop off into dream land, when the phone rang.
"Mom!" I yelled.
"Mom?" I repeated. No answer, "Uh fine I'll answer it myself!"
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hello."
"Can I help you?"
"Angel?"
"Yeah."
"Angel, I need ya help."
"Jack you're stupid!" I said getting ready to hang up.
"It ain't Jack!"
"Then who the bloody heck is this?" I would have screamed if my throat would have let me.
"It's me, is Spades dere?"
"No, Skits she's at work."
"Hurry up, kid." I heard a gruff voice in the background; that woke me up.
"Skits are you okay?" I asked.
"For now"
"What's wrong, what happened?"
"Um, I need a quarter of a million dollars."
"Why?"
"Because dat's what dere're askin foh." He said.
"Who is they?"
"That's all you need to know for now." The gruff voice said.
"Wait, where do I need to have the money, and when?"
"You'll find out, no cops." Click
"Wait! GAH!!!!!!!" I said attempting to scream.
"What is it?" Mush said running down the stairs.
"Where do I start?" I muttered to myself. "Skits just called, something's wrong."
"Something like what?"
"Like this gruff voice came on and said that they needed a quarter of a million dollars."
"Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"
"Yes I'm sure!"
"So, you're saying…Skittery, has been…. kidnapped." he said slowly.
"Yes." I answered finding it hard to believe myself. Just then mom and Dodger came in the door.
"Why are you two up?" my mom asked scowling at us.
"Oh star 6-9 it!" Mush declared.
"I hadn't thought of that, good idea." I said dialing 69.
"What is she talking about?" Dodger asked Mush as I listened intently to the phone.
"Skittery was kidnapped." Mush said bluntly.
"What?"
"He just called. They want a quarter of a million dollars."
"GAH it's a private number!" I yelled, or rather squeaked.
"Did you actually expect them to use a public one?" Dodger asked.
"I had hoped, that way we could figure out who it was."
"Don't worry kids, just stay calm." My mom said trying to convince herself.
"This is bullshit!" Mush began ranting.
"Language!" my mom shrieked.
"GAH!"
"Watch your tone!"
"Grrr?" I offered when I saw Mush straining not to hit something, namely my mom.
"Mrs. Conlon, is there a bunch of old boards or something useless?" Mush asked politely.
"Yes out back, there's a pile of old boards from when we built the fence." My mom said unsure of what he wanted them for.
"And you're sure you don't need them?" Mush asked.
"Yes they've been sitting there for years, I keep trying to get Nathan to move them but he won't nor will Sean for that matter." My mom rambled.
"Okay then." Mush said walking out the back door.
"Is he gonna move the boards for me?" my mom asked innocently.
"Yeah mom, that's it." I said leading her into the kitchen.
"Well maybe I should tell him where to move them so that he doesn't put them in the wrong spot." My mom said heading towards the backdoor.
"Uh, better idea, why don't I tell him, that way you won't have to go outside again." I said pathetically.
"Ok dear, have him put them by the barn."
"Yes ma'am." I said giving her the illusion that I was walking into the backyard. When in reality I just went to the back door and watched Mush from the window.
"What is he doing?" Dodger asked walking up beside me.
"Um, my guess is mom won't know where to find the boards when he's done." I said as Mush turned the boards into splinters.
"Wow, when he gets angry, he gets really angry huh?"
"Yep."
Just then the doorbell rang.
"I got it!" Media called.
"I thought she was outside." Dodger said.
"Apparently she came in through the front door." I said still watching Mush.
"Acorn, hide your other boyfriends, Jack is here!" Media called from the entryway.
"Shut up Media!" I heard Jack say.
"Crap!" I squeaked.
"What?"
"I'm not wearing a bra!" I said dashing into the living room and diving under the covers.
"Acorn where are you?" Media yelled.
"In here!" I tried to yell, which again spurred a coughing fit.
"Just follow the squeaky voice and hacking cough and you'll find her." Media told Jack.
"Thanks" he said walking into the living room.
"Hello." I said my voice giving out.
"Wow, you look terrible."
"Thanks"
"I brought soup." He said.
"Yay soup!"
"Where is the phone?" My mom called.
"In here!" I tried to call back.
"It's in heah Mrs. Conlon." Jack yelled for me.
"Thank you!" I said.
"I'm going to call Michael's parents. Oh hello Jack." My mom said walking into the room and scanning it for our black cordless phone. "Angelica, where is the phone?"
"I don't know, I just know it's in here." I said. At that moment it decided to ring, so adjusting myself to where I could reach it, I pulled the phone out from the depths of the blanket and handed it to my mom.
"Hello?" she said before swearing loudly and hanging it up in disgust. "Stupid telemarketers." She grumbled leaving the room.
"Who is Michael?" Jack asked bewildered.
"Skittery." I said longing looking at the soup in his hand.
"Why is she calling his parents?"
"He was kidnapped, and they want a quarter of a million dollars."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"No actually, I didn't." he smirked.
"Don't make me cough on you." I said smirking as well.
"Wait what?" Media asked coming in.
"HUH?" I coughed.
"Gee I don't know the part about Skits getting kidnapped?!" she said crossly.
"I thought you knew about that?" I said.
"I got in the shower after my walk."
"Oh, well, Skits was kidnapped and they want a quarter of a million dollars."
"Who else knows bout dis?" Jack asked.
"Dodger, my mom and Mush." I coughed. I wanted that soup.
"And everyone is acting so casual about it."
"We don't know what to do."
"Are they going to call back?"
"Yes, they are, but I don't know what we're going to do about the money."
"Do we have a phone tap, someway to trace them, draw triangles on a diagram or something?"
"Media, we ain't no James Bond heah." Jack interrupted her. That statement made me laugh and consequently sent me into another coughing fit.
"Does Spades know?" Media asked.
"Do I know what?" Spades said entering into the living room.
"Look who's home." I coughed.
"Uh, Brittany sweetie, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?" my mom said hearing Spades' voice in the living room.
"Oh get ready for a scream and tear fest." I said.
"WHAT?!" Spades screamed from the kitchen.
"Why would someone kidnap Skittery, he's not rich." Media pondered.
"I don't know do I look like God to you?" I snapped, all the excitement was making miss out on delicious soupiness.
"I'm ignoring your crankiness!" Media replied.
"But I'm hungry!!!" I moaned.
"Jack feed her! That's why you came here!" Media snapped.
"Geez, dere all toinin on me!" Jack said.
"Give me soup." I pouted.
"Ya know, ya look really pathetic like dat." Jack said.
"Give me the soup man!"
"Aight don't bite me hand!" he said FINALLY giving me the soup.
"Thank you" I said digging in.
"Why is Mush ruinin' our, everything?" Spot asked.
"Oh crap, I forgot that I left him out there." I said leaping up to go get Mush inside before he destroyed our fence.
"Wait, why is my boyfriend destroying stuff?" Media asked.
"Well, he was frustrated over Skits getting kidnapped and it looked like he wanted to take it out on my mom so we pointed out the wood pile in the backyard." I said.
"I'll go get him, you'll only get hurt." Media said walking outside.
"Actually he asked about the wood." My mom said, "Wait what do you mean he's ruining it!"
"Uh, he was mad so he needed something to obliterate." I said.
"Well better the wood than someone's face, I suppose." My mom said.
"Skittery got kidnapped?" Spot asked.
"Naahh!" I whined not having the energy to explain what had happened again.
"I'll tell him dear, you go set down." My mom said pulling Spot aside. Dodger went into the kitchen to comfort Spades as Jack tried tickling my feet as I attempted to eat.
"Stop it!" I scowled at him.
"No rest foh da weary!" He scoffed.
"Do you want boiling hot soup in your lap?"
"Not really."
"Then stop."
"Is dere anyting I can do ta make ya feel bettah?"
"Watch a movie with me?"
"Which one?"
"The Court Jester?" I gave him my rendition of the puppy dog pout.
"Aight, lemme put it in."
"Thank you!"
Jack, Dodger, Spot and I all ended up watching the movie; I ended up falling asleep on Jack's lap and drooling on his knee about mid-movie. I awoke to Blink rummaging through our DVD collection and Spot poking me.
"Ungh!" I protested and suddenly felt the side of my face, which was wet. I looked down where I had been sleeping and saw a large wet spot on Jack's knee.
"Ew" he said.
"Sorry about that." I croaked.
"Why do ya think I was tryin ta wake ya up." Spot smirked.
"Because you get sick and twisted pleasure out of torturing me." I said sneezing.
"Aw, she's awake we can't watch Anaconda anymore!" Blink whined.
"Not unless you mind high pitched squealing coming from me as I climb on top of the closest person." I said.
"Find something else Blink!" Jack said quickly, since he was sitting closest to me.
"Where is Spades?" I asked.
"She's wid Mom and Dad." Spot answered.
"Okay, so long as she's not alone."
"When ah da bastahds gonna call again?" Spot wondered out loud.
"LANGUAGE!" my mom yelled from the kitchen.
"How does she do that?" Spot, Dodger and I all wondered out loud.
"She's a mom, she has super hearing!" Blink said.
"I don't know, but all we can do is wait." Jack said.
"What's Zoolandah?" Blink asked his head buried in our DVD case.
"Oh put it cough cough cough it in!" I said.
"Okay" he said putting it in the player. We settled down to watch the movie and mom started making dinner.
"Are you kids spending the night?" my mom asked when dinner was served.
"Uh, if it's okay wit you." Jack said as Blink nodded.
"Uncle Nate, is it okay if I stay with Mush tonight?" Media asked innocently.
"No"
"Please????"
"No"
"Spot snores, I can't sleep there again." Mush said.
"Do not!"
"Yeah, you're right you sound more like a weed whacker!" Mush said.
"Boys stop!" my mom said.
"What if someone stayed with us?" Mush volunteered.
"Like who?" my dad asked.
"Like…oh never mind, I'll just go home alone." Mush finally decided.
"How long are you going to stay?" Dodger asked.
"Late"
"Ok cool" She replied.
Spades, Mom and Dad then headed up to bed while the rest of us sat around and passed the time.
"Let's play poker!" Media chimed.
"Can we do something that does not involve thinking?" I croaked.
"Or talking" Mush laughed.
"Shut up" I squeaked.
"Squeaky toy" Media laughed.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I coughed pulling the covers over my head, which only caused her to laugh harder. Next thing I knew there was a crushing weight on my back, making it difficult to breathe. I threw off the blanket to see who was on my back.
"Jack get off of me!!!!" I tried to yell but ended up hacking instead.
"Dogpile!" Dodger yelled jumping on Jack.
"Oomph!" I groaned as Media, Mush, Spot and Blink added to the pile. "Will you get off of me before my lungs collapse!" I gasped.
"Now why would we do dat?" Spot asked.
"Because you're my family and you love me."
"Pile off!" Mush said taking Spot and Dodger with him as he rolled to the floor. Sweet, sweet oxygen filled my lungs again! The night wore on and we continued to entertain ourselves waiting for the phone call that never came.
"Guys it's almost 4 am, you need to go to bed!" I protested wanting to sleep.
"But what if you're asleep and you don't hear the phone?" Media asked poking me.
"Someone can stay down here too, just let me sleep!"
"Let's take it in shifts." Dodger suggested.
"Sure fine whatever!" I said.
"How many people do we have?" Dodger asked.
"I'll take the first shift." Mush said.
"I thought you were going home." I said.
"Well I can stay a little longer and then go home." He said.
"Oh,"
"Who's got second shift?" Dodger asked.
"I'll be up with Mush, so I'll just take the second." Media said.
"Ok, So we've got Mush, Media, who else?"
"I'll take the thoid." Jack said.
"I've got fohth" Blink followed.
"Then I'll take fifth and by then we should all be awake." Dodger said.
"What are you the planning queen?" I asked.
"No, I just want to make sure." She said.
"Whatever, just if you're gonna be awake, please try to keep it down so that I can sleep okay?" I pleaded, getting grumpy.
"Ohh, that means I get to wake Jack up!" Media said with an evil glint in her eye.
"I'll set my alarm!" Jack said hurriedly.
"We'll see about that." She cackled.
"Maybe she should take a nap." Mush said.
"No I need coffee!!!!" She said running into the kitchen.
"And on that note, I'm going to bed!" Dodger said heading up to her room.
"Me too!" Spot said yawning.
"Um, where do we stay?" Jack asked looking at Blink.
"In Spot's room!" Mush said smiling.
"I don't trust him." Jack said.
"Mush or Spot?" I asked.
"Both."
"You can stay in my room." I said, "It's the last one on the right.
"Tanks Angel." Jack said.
"You mess up my room, and you're cleaning it up!" I threatened. I fell asleep to Media and Mush talking in hushed voices. I thought I caught something about Media trying to get Mush to talk about the night in the alley, or was he trying to get her to talk about it? But I was sleepy and didn't remember the next day when I awoke to Dodger grumbling to herself about coffee grounds spilled on the counter from Media last night.
"What's going on?" I croaked standing up.
"Media left spilled coffee grounds on the counter." She grumbled. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"I feel fine, I just don't sound fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Do you want me to get a thermometer and prove it?" I asked sarcastically, though apparently she thought I was serious.
"Yes that would be good." She replied.
"Oy" I said turning to go upstairs. Crap, the thermometer is in my bathroom and Jack and Blink are both in there. Well, maybe if I'm quiet. I thought as I quietly turned my doorknob and cracked the door open. Since when did my door squeak? I crept inside taking care not to make too much noise. I looked at my bed and there was Blink sound asleep, Jack was on the floor at the foot of the bed. I gingerly continued my trek to the bathroom and opened the door to get the thermometer out to satisfy Dodger's sense of wellbeing for my health. I opened the cabinet to grab the thermometer and wouldn't you know everything came crashing out onto the counter. I tried telling it to be quiet but it didn't listen. I was terrified that I had woken Jack and/or Blink up so I grabbed the thermometer and ran out of the room only to run smack into Jack. Crap! I thought.
"Ya okay dere Angel?" he asked helping me up.
"Yeah, Dodger doesn't believe me that I'm okay so she wants proof." I said.
"Are either of you going to church?" My dad asked walking in my room.
Be invisible be invisible! I told myself.
"I'm not but Blink wanted to." Jack said.
"What about you Angelica?" My dad asked in an accusatory tone.
"I'm uh still not feeling quite up to it, Dad." I said.
"Blink get up!" Jack said poking him.
"All right, Angelica, I suppose you know what's best." My dad said walking out of my room.
"Blink will you get up!" Jack said still poking his friend.
"Here let me try." I said running and jumping on him.
"I'm up" Blink said sitting up immediately.
"Told ya." I said walking out to attempt to convince my dad that all I was doing was getting a thermometer out of my bathroom.
Sometime later, Mom, Dad, Dodger, Blink and Spades left for church leaving Media, Spot, Jack and Me at home. I guess my parents trusted Jack and me together since Spot hated him, but whatever.
"Is anyone hungry?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think we all ah." Spot said.
"What do you guys want?"
"Pancakes." Media piped.
"Ok pancakes it is." I said going into the kitchen to make them, however at that moment a coughing fit hit me so Media came in and kicked me out because apparently I was getting germs in the mix.
"But (cough) I'm (cough cough) not contagious!" I protested.
"Tell that to the little germs you just sent into the air!" she said pushing me out the door.
"Fine!" I said walking back into the living room where another cough attack hit driving me to the floor.
"Ya okay Angel?" Jack asked as he and Spot leapt up to help me.
"I'm (cough) fine!" I said hacking.
"Go sit down!" Spot commanded.
"I'm fine I tell you!"
"One of you better tackle her or she won't sit down!" Media yelled from the kitchen.
Jack and Spot both got devilish looks in their eyes as they decided to pounce.
"No, bad boys! Sit!" I said trying to dissuade them.
"Look, I know ya call me Spot, but I ain't a dog aight!" Spot said angrily.
"1, 2, 3 go!" Jack yelled as they both tackled me.
"Boys, I can't breathe!" I gasped.
"I think she's just trying to get us to let up, what do you think Spot?" Jack asked.
"MM, could go either way."
"If she turns blue let her up." Media said from the kitchen.
"Shut up Media!" I yelled. The two hellions began tickling me causing me to kick and scream laugh and of course cough.
"Perhaps we should let up." Spot said.
"Yeah, sohhy Angel." Jack said getting off of me.
A couple pancakes are done!" Media called from the kitchen.
"Food!" Spot said running to the kitchen after hitting Jack on the side of his head.
"Dat little…." Jack said shaking his head." Is he evah gonna stop?"
"I… don't know." I said gasping for air.
"Ya okay?" he asked.
"Yeah…I will be…eventually." I said still gasping for air.