Chapter Seven

The following morning it was all over the school that Chandler and Catelynn Gaines had vandalized their grandfather's car, slashing his tires and smashing the windows.

And it was all caught on the security camera.

Their grandfather William Gaines pressed charges despite his son's begging. When a judge wanted to give the two six months in juvenile detention and three years probation, William had a counter offer. One that was on his tab, not tax payers.

The fifteen-year-old twins finish their high school education in military school in Colorado. William had recently retired from there and the school had turned many trouble youths from becoming adult criminals, even if few actually decided on the service as a career.

Chandler and Catelynn's parents didn't like either option.

Their twins "were just being kids" and would pay any fine the court imposed. The judge countered the siblings had a sense of entitlement thanks to their parents, and partly their grandfather,

But the grandfather was putting an end to his participation. Sensing the older man wouldn't waver on his decision, the siblings were being shipped off to Colorado that night.

Voluntarily or not.

"Gaines could give those two brats a better boot camp than any program," Rick said to Drew in a rare quiet moment in the living room.

Drew had his head in Rick's lap.

"You think? I can still feel the ache in every bone in my body from that guy! But there's two of them and one of the old man so that's why he didn't suggest that. A senior or not I'm sure he could handle himself."


Brianna and some of the students who were regularly harassed by the twins weren't bothered that day by their few followers. Brianna hoped it was because with their "leaders" they didn't have the guts. Either way she was going to tell her parents this time. Her best friend Riley had wanted Brianna to either come to Texas, live with her and her mom until Drew and family returned to San Antonio or let her come there to "kick their ass."

Even if she had yet to ask her mother about such an arrangement.

"You wanted me to do the same thing before I left," Brianna said.

"But you didn't want to leave Drew."

"Or dad. Or Cori. And even if I wanted to, do you really think they would let me? I mean, if that was what we wanted, daddy would have come here by himself."

Syd understood Riley missed her friend, not to mention she was mad because she was being bullied at her new school. If things became really bad in Burlington, Rick would move back to Texas with the girls and count the days till Drew returned. There wouldn't be any of other people caring for Brianna for an extended period of time.

"Do you want to go back home?" Drew asked Brianna shortly before she went to bed.

"What do you mean? Is the army letting you go early?"

"No. But Bri, if things are really unhappy at school here, if you wanted dad and Cori and you to go back home early, I'd understand."

"Without you? No, never!" She said. "You know that Riley wants me to go back and stay with her until you move back. She said would kick their ass if she was here."

"Yep. Syd told me. I think Riley could take two of them at once."

Both laughed.

Brianna said in an effort to get best friend to move home earlier, she even offered to attempt to talk Syd into taking Cori, too. Your aunt could babysit her during mom's shift, Riley reasoned. Even if Brianna told her that her that would never happen.

Would Syd Jennings dote on Cori and give her plenty of love?

No doubt. Syd would let the little girl sleep in her bed with her.

But neither girl was hers.

Three of the parents were planning a surprise for the friends. Syd and Riley were coming to Vermont for Thanksgiving. Brianna would be allowed to take that Thursday, Friday and following Tuesday for the two's six day visit. Syd's mother was headed for the sunshine state for the holiday. Riley's father and stepmother didn't celebrate neither thanksgiving or Christmas anymore, making the decision last year. Because Riley hadn't followed suit with that so spending those days with them wasn't something she wanted.

It certainly did not help the fractured father-daughter relationship. even with therapy the two were at a standstill. Syd's ex still degraded her, even if she took the high road and he still wanted his daughter to be someone she wasn't. Brianna knew all about this strife and felt terrible for her friend. Did it bother her that Riley was so close to Drew?

Not a bit.

Her dad had much love to give and he wasn't trying to replace her friend's father. But Riley deserved a male figure in her life who accepted her for who she was and things she enjoyed.