The next morning Ginger and John giggled walking into their house to find it clean and Noel cooking breakfast much to their surprise Puddle Of Mud's cover of D'yer Mak'er by Led Zeppelin blaring from Bluetooth speakers.
"I love you
Yea baby I love you" Noel crooned flipping bread in a pan for French toast as Karen bunny hopped into the kitchen all her friends already gone.
"MMMMMMMMMMMM French Toast my favorite I'm famished so please hurry up singing lady" Karen moaned her stomach grumbling as everybody giggled.
"OK No you continue making breakfast I'm going to find Lucas and see if he wants to be the muscle guy and help some people occupy houses next to ours" Ginger said as Karen giggled leading the way to her older brother.
"Look him and Merisel are pretty comfy on the couch and they were kissy face all night it was gross like two goldfishies smack, smack, smack, smack I mean ewwwwwwwwwwww".
Ginger looked on the couch to find Lucas surrounded by purple hair Taco Bell bags, wrappers, and drink cups surrounding him and the floor.
"Kenny honey go wake Heather and Hope up I'll handle these two myself seeing mama knows the perfect way to wake goldfishies up".
Karen dashed upstairs knocking on Heather's door and the two girls stumbled half asleep from the room and Ginger smiled seeing her son finally act his age and this was like heaven to her.
"Lou wake up time come on honey French Toast is up and it has your name all over it. I mean I even smell bacon and we need to get the purple haired dream decent".
Lucas moaned and turned over slowly opening his eyes to find darkness and he screamed thinking he went blind as Ginger giggled parting Merisel's hair a grin on her face.
"So great night I take it? I mean someone made a run for the border I see and I'm guessing rom coms were the theme of TV last night Lou?"
"Yea and I'm glad I'm not blind but who's cooking and how are we waking Merisel up because being her friend for forever I've got to say it's impossible".
"Well bacon sizzling and smelling should help and thank Noel for that. Please tell me she has clothes on under that blanket Lou".
"No worries mom I'm not sexually active if that's what you're wondering. I mean all's you have to do is ask woman".
Merisel's nose gave a sniff and as Ginger predicted Merisel's eyes were wide and she jumped from the couch tacos flying everywhere.
"I'll clean that up you just talk to Merisel about our quote unquote sex life if you like. I mean girls talk don't they?"
Ginger walked off grinning as Lucas threw moldy tacos and wrappers into a bag sipping on a flat Mountain Dew as he did it.
"They were like two goldfishies daddy it was disgusting and they never came up for air I swear it's like they have gills or something" Karen complained as Merisel grinned helping Heather set the table.
"Once you get older you'll understand more youngest sib till then just know that we don't have gills we have nostrils that also help us breathe.
A knock was heard on the door and John opened it to find Carl his hair a mess and Deidra a smile on her face ready to start moving into their new house.
"Morning future brother in law so where's the coffee because since I quit drinking coffee seems to soothe me more" Carl said groggy as Deidra skipped into the house taking everything in.
"Dee glad you could make it so let me introduce you to your moving crew and we can get a move on and hopefully be done by lunch".
Ginger opened the kitchen door to find Lucas and Merisel making out and Carl grinned even him happy for Lucas.
"Well looks like the smart one has something besides textbooks, test tubes, and homework to keep him occupied now".
Ginger cleared her throat angrily as everybody but Lucas and Merisel quickly turned and Karen copied Ginger still not getting a reaction from the kissing teens.
"See are they not like two goldfishies just kissing mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah. If I wanted goldfish I'd buy one with my allowance!"
"Well that's not ending anytime soon but that's my son the muscle and his girlfriend Merisel who I'm sure would also love to help".
"Well looks like we have a full house so let's eat, drink, and make us a game plan and then it's moving day and whenever Katie answers her phone it'll be moving day for her too".
Lucas and Merisel pulled apart as Merisel's phone buzzed and she sighed angrily and Ginger knew all too well who it was.
"Yes mom I'm fine I just spent the night at the Foutley's last night. No mom I don't think you need to come here because truthfully you're not going to like what's transpiring here" Merisel said and Ginger could tell Merisel never told Dodie about Lucas and her yet.
Merisel angrily hung up on her mom and Lucas a newfound strength in him called someone and Merisel made to grab for his phone knowing all too well who he called.
"Hi Mrs. Bishop and how are you this fine morning? Yes I'm sure Merisel does spend a little too much time here but there's a reason for that see Merisel's dating me and she's afraid to tell you so I figured I'd do it" Lucas said as Ginger, Heather, Noel, Carl, and John winced knowing Dodie well.
"Mrs. Bishop I would like to maybe talk about this before you cuss out your daughter for keeping secrets. I mean I'm sure at your age you kept secrets from your mother".
Dodie screamed as Merisel gave Lucas I told you so eyes and a pout as Lucas just shrugged listening to Dodie yell.
"My mom's not here right now Mrs. Bishop she went out with my dad last night and they haven't come back yet".
Dodie screamed louder as Merisel felt bad for Lucas but she also warned him that her mom would react like this.
"Yes Mrs. Bishop that would be the predicament no parents and all teens running around trashing my house while Merisel and I kissed and watched movies of love".
"How is he not fazed by her I mean I hate bringing home bad report cards because of her screech but he's just letting her yell at him".
Ginger shrugged at Merisel as Lucas being screeched at just sat there as if this was a normal thing for him and his family plus Merisel were amazed by this.
"Mrs. Bishop if you knew me for even a millisecond you'd know that I'd never take advantage of your daughter. In fact I'm more scared that she's going to take advantage of me".
Dodie was outraged screaming some more as Ginger could have heard Whore Of A Mother and she walked up to Lucas who was getting redder in the face.
"Mrs. Bishop I don't think now is the best time to attack my family because I haven't attacked yours. In fact I was making a courtesy call just to make sure you knew that Merisel and I were dating".
Dodie screeched some more as Ginger listened intently and Merisel got redder this time and she knew what had to be done as she grabbed her purse and her cell phone kissing Lucas goodbye and storming off her SUV screeching out of the driveway.
"Merisel' on her way home and I wish I could be there because it's Bishop VS. Bishop and I'd love to see who wins that fight".
Lucas hung up and hugged Ginger and John as they hugged him back and he smirked eating his breakfast knowing that nobody else would ever take on the dragon that was Dodie Bishop but him.
"Well she was yelling and I'm not about to be scared by a woman who can do nothing but keep her daughter from me and she can't even do that no matter how hard she tries".
"Lou I think you should know by now Dodie and I are like cat's and mice these days. She's mad because I took her ex-husbands side in a custody battle which is why she has joint custody of Merisel at this point" Ginger said helping herself to breakfast.
"Yea I know she takes it out on Merisel and that just isn't fair. I mean she wonders why Merisel is never home and she answers her own question when Merisel walks in to the shrine of Josh the golden child to Dodie".
The doorbell rang and everybody jumped except Lucas who walked to the front door and opened it to find Katie and Hank greeting him and Lucas knew who they were immeadiately.
"Mom dad it's your friends and if it was Dodie I was going to ream her out because nobody hurts my girl including her mom from what I hear her dad's not that bad".
Katie and Hank walked into the kitchen as U Hauls were parked on the Foutley's yard and a red Lamborghini screeched behind them as Dodie Bishop walked out Merisel hissing at her in her ear the whole time.
"Lucas you deal with them your father and I will deal with the unpacking, the girls will do chores, and we'll have this house into a well-oiled machine in no time".
Lucas dashed outside blocking Dodie from walking into the house and she growled pushing her daughter to him.
"You think she's easy to live with then take her I mean you'll never hear how nice I am but her dad who spends money on her hair dye and designer clothes is the best thing since sliced cheese" Dodie said swigging a tiny bottle of alcohol.
"Well I can see somebody fell of the wagon again haven't they? Tell me something Mrs. Bishop have you ever been on the wagon since Junior High?"
"Hey if you had to deal with my husband nagging me to finally spend time with Merisel and my youngest son's death you tell me how to deal with it".
A red car pulled up behind Dodie's Lamborghini and a woman the Foutley's and Bishop's knew well walked up with a folder a man ten paces behind her shaking his head.
"Daddy-she-hit-me-again-she's-mean-and-she-blames-me-for-Josh's-death-she-posts-pictures-of-him-all-over-the-house-then-acts-like-it-shouldn't-bother-me" Merisel wept hugging her father with bruised arms.
"Ok those bruises aren't fresh their a week old at least not that I'm condoning what I did but quite frankly I can't stand my daughter's smug attitude anymore".
"That's all I needed to hear Mrs. Bishop we've met before Suzanne Murphy DCS and I'm placing you under arrest for child neglect" The woman said Merisel grinned through her tears happy she was going to live with her dad who lived on the corner of Ginger's house.
"Great place me under arrest I just think you should know redhead over there left her kids a four year old included home alone all night while she no doubt made love to her husband".
"I'm sure even if there was no adult there Lucas crown jewel older brother was there to supervise. If he wasn't then Ginger I'll have to take you in too".
"Lucas was here all night and he also fed the kids, cleaned the house, and found time to try and make Merisel forget her checkered past" Ginger said taking boxes from Carl and walking them to an empty house as John and Hank followed suit to another empty house.
"Great and if that one wanted to be home for longer than a millisecond I could have another kid and pawn it off on her. That's what she's doing Lucas your mom is pawning the girl's off on you and you're just too blind to see it".
"You're doing the same thing Mrs. Bishop you basically pushed Merisel to me and told me if living with her was so easy I should try doing it" Lucas said as the woman was suddenly interested in what Lucas had to say.
"Yes I did that because if she's not saying how great her dad is she's telling me how much Lucas her new boytoy and his family are so grounded, grounded meaning level not in trouble even though two of the girls should be".
"How I raise my daughters is none of your business Dodie. Maybe if you took more time raising your daughter and less time telling me how to raise mine you wouldn't be in this predicament".
Dodie threw her tiny bottle onto Ginger's lawn and growled as Ginger got eye to eye with her and Lucas saw where he got his I don't need to be afraid of bullies attitude.
"Merisel has basically been living here since the custody battle Dodes and you know it's true. There was one point where you told me like my son to take her because living with her was so easy".
"I'm glad Ginger called me here because this girl's in a lot of emotional, physical, and verbal abuse and the one thing keeping her afloat is the one thing her mom's forbidding" Suzanne said as police cuffed Dodie and Merisel clung to Lucas her tears getting lost in his shirt.
"I'll just leave her here for now I'll be back in a few minutes I think there's a certain book that needs burning and Merisel would love to do the honors".
"No I want to keep it at least I'll still have his memory I-I-I-I-I just don't want to be blamed for his death anymore daddy. I never killed him our neglectful mother killed him and I need to start remembering that" Merisel said as she picked boxes up and followed Ginger to Carl and Deidra' new home.
"Great I won't decorate the house starring Josh but I am glad you love that book Mare because Josh loved you very much and no matter what mom says his death was her fault and not yours" Merisel's dad William said as Merisel hugged him with one hand and he grabbed her into a bear hug.
"Daddy I'd like you to meet Lucas the second man in my life with you being the first. He reminds me a lot of you I guess that's a big reason we're dating he's like you in almost every way".
"I've heard a lot Lucas and I have to say any guy that can stand up to my wife and make my daughter happy in one sitting is ok by me".
"Yea Merisel is a blessing in disguise too everyone she meets me being in that list and that list may get smaller but I'll always be on it" Lucas said kissing Merisel as Karen made a face grumbling goldfishies under her breath.
"Alright moving crew looks like we're on the last box and then we can all go our separate ways for the day" Ginger said delivering the box to Hank and Katie and everybody scattered Ginger pulling John into the house having important news for him and she blared Mother, Mother by Tracy Bonham.
"Uh oh the last time they played that song we were talked to about the newest sib Karen so either she's preggers again or they use this song thinking we can't hear them" Noel said texting on her phone.
"Lou-Lou-Lou-Lucas they wouldn't have another baby would they? I mean I'm the baby I fit in the little part of mommy and daddy's lap no other baby can do that" Karen said scared about what her parents might be saying inside.
"Kenny I can honestly say I don't know what they're talking about but if mommy does have another baby just think you'll be a big sister".
Karen gasped and wept running to her room not wanting to be a big sister and hated her parents for what she thought of as replacing her.
In Ginger and John's room the song blared and Ginger gulped not knowing how to tell John that she was in fact with child and knowing the song well he knew that Ginger was indeed pregnant again.
"Ginger I'm not mad I mean we go at it like Jackrabbits I'm bound to get you pregnant again sometime. I mean we always said Karen needed a playmate and we need to explain to her she's an older sister now!" John yelled over the song.
Ginger hugged and kissed John on the lips as she turned the song off and walked downstairs to find Lucas, Heather, and Noel downstairs with no Karen.
"Teens big news so where's Karen I mean one of you had to of been in charge of her right? I mean she's not being raised by wolves is she?"
"No but if the big news is what I think it is we're going to have a tantrum throwing Noel on our hands. See in the Foutley household there is an order and if you mess that order up with another bambino well Karen doesn't know where she is in the order anymore" Heather said as Lucas and Noel nodded.
"Aww the poor thing so where is she now? I think she just needs mama bear to explain how the new order works turning her from littlest into a big sister".
The three teens pointed to Karen's room where Pixie scratched wildly knowing in her heart something was wrong with Karen the hand that fed her.
"Pixel move I have business and I don't need you getting in my way. I mean isn't there a bone to be buried somewhere?"
Pixie trotted off and ran downstairs hearing the doorbell as Ginger opened Karen's door to hear her sniffling a lump on her bed as she stroked her stuffed Elsa's hair.
"Carrie Bear I think it's high time we had a chit chat about the order in this house honey. See you're the littlest and you always will be in our hearts but in reality we're having another baby and that could be awesome too" Ginger said plopping down next to Karen.
"Yea but the new baby will replace me just like I replaced Noel and she hated me for the longest time until a trip to jail cured her. Will I have to go to jail and act bad for me to love the baby?"
"No honey you will not need to go to jail to love the baby. The reason Noel did all those bad things is because she thought she had to so we'd notice her but she didn't".
"So what if I don't like the baby at first will you and daddy hate me if I don't like the baby? I don't want to be ignored I want to still be the littlest and loved by the family" Karen wept clutching Elsa closer a stuffed Chloe and Max from The Secret Life Of Pets at the foot of her bed.
"Carrie you know that Daddy and I will never forget you baby you have an outgoing nature and with that comes your look at me eyes, pout, and voice that Noel never had so there is no fear of us forgetting you".
Karen smirked a little and hugged Ginger as Ginger hugged her back and they giggled when Pixie pounced onto the bed joining the stuffed Chloe and Max.
"So what are you going to name the baby? I mean since I'm home half the day seeing I go to preschool for half and I could help take care of the baby with my free time if you want".
"Honey you just focus on being a kid and keeping that outgoing nature I mean you have friends hang out with them and maybe get some ideas on being a big sister from the other siblings they would be glad to help I'm sure".
Karen skipped off as Ginger was face to face with Pixie who lapped her face and she giggled wiping her face off.
"Pixel make sure she doesn't lose her nature and also show her love if John, Lucas, Noel, Heather, the new bambino, or I don't show it to her".
Pixie barked like she understood and lied on the bed closing her eyes as Ginger walked downstairs meeting Hank, Katie, Deidra, and Carl at the door wrapping her in a hug.
"Girl I didn't want to say anything last night but you do have a small pouch thanks to the bambino inside of you and to make matters better Katie and I are preggers too honey" Deidra said as Ginger squealed excitedly hugging her friends.
"Now the Tres Amiga's will have another memory to share and that's childbirth. So bro how does it feel to be a new expecting daddy?"
"Well I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous but I have John and Hank to get me through this even if it is Hank's first kid too" Carl said sipping a thermos of coffee.
"Yea I think the operative word here is John he's a pro at being a daddy so let's mirror and shadow him Carl. I mean who better to teach us to be daddy's then a veteran at being a daddy?" Hank asked as John smiled and led Carl and Hank to the kitchen.
"Actually Carl has taken a big step in fatherhood Hank and that's making your life a dry county so after this we're dumping all the alcohol down the sink and replacing that with something else not nicotine" John said sitting Carl and Hank down.
"Alright Katie has been trying to find a way for me to quit anyways so she'll be happy to know your making me quit".
"Coffee is my replacement well that and anything else with caffeine including soda trust me Hank it helps I haven't even craved the bottle since I started caffeine".
Ginger and the two girls walked in hearing the conversation and Hank grabbed Katie around the waist kissing her as this surprised her because he hardly kissed her and she kissed him back.
"John made the best suggestion ever and I want to say that he's sobering me up because with a new baby we can't drink I mean what would the son or daughter think of us?"
Katie smirked hugging John as Ginger and Deidra joined in all of them heading to Kate and Hank's house cleansing it of alcohol dumping it in the sink as Kate and Hank held a garbage bag glass bottles and tin cans being thrown into it.
"There no more alcohol so go get soda, candy, caffeine, anything that will help with the shakes Hank and if you need us you know where we live" Ginger said as everybody walked out with the sun setting.
"Let's BBQ I mean we're all neighbors and friends after all and we have a big celebration with bambino's coming and we should be able to have fun am I right?" Lucas asked as Merisel wrapped her arms around him and kissed his lips.
"There they go again the yucky goldfishies faces but at least their happy" Karen said munching a chocolate chip brownie.
Everybody fired up the grills laughing hoping they'd all remain friends even though the girls were pregnant and the boys were on the wagon trying to find ways to stay sober.
Well that's it for now so R&R and I'll write more. P.S Deidra looks like I'm back so I hope you like it also and your character so again R&R everyone.