It was 11 at night and the girls were watching TV stuffing popcorn in their mouths wearing their pajamas .Cans of soda sat on the table .Simon walked in wearing sweatpants and a tee-shirt he walked in front of the tv shutting it off .
"Simon what are you doing we were watching that",Brittany grabbed the remote turning the tv back on .
"You have school in the morning isn't it time you went to bed ",Simon said in firm voice.
"We never go to bed until midnight ",Eleanor smiled stuffing more popcorn in her mouth .
"What ",Simon had a look of surprise on his face "you stay up until midnight on a school night"
"Sometimes later then that ,Simon ",Jeanette added in "come watch TV with us "Simon sighs he sits down next to Jeanette as he sat down he heard something say mommy .He jumped up picking up a doll he holds it in the air by its arm .
"What is this?",He looked at it oddly holding it away from him .
"That's Amanda loves to talk ",Eleanor giggles watching Simon holding the doll .He sits it down back on the couch .
"Amanda loves to talk ",Simon says, pushing it away from him .Eleanor lays her head,on his lap her feet laying on the couch next to him he puts his arm around her back ."Are you getting sleepy Eleanor ?"
"No Simon ",Eleanor's eyes were half open she looked tired but she was fighting to stay awake along with her sisters .He rubbed her forehead with his hand, putting the doll under her arm .He glanced at the tv seeing it was reality show about girls getting makeovers .
"She is fine Simon she always get like that right about this time a night ",Brittany says trying to reassure him it was normal .
"She looks tired Brittany "Simon rolled his eyes .
"Well, if she is tired she should go to bed .Eleanor go to bed if you're falling asleep ",Brittany responds back to his comment giving her sister an order putting her attention back to what they were watching on tv before she could finish the last word Eleanor's eyes were closed and she was asleep with her head on Simon ' s lap .
"She is already asleep now ",Simon said,looking down at her .
"That's because you were rubbing her forehead it makes her fall asleep ",Brittany glances over "Eleanor wake up and go to bed "She reaches over to shake her sister awake, but before she could Simon picks her up and carries her to her room her head is asleep on his shoulder, her arms around his neck he places her on her bed removing her slippers he pulls the blankets up over her placing the doll under her arm .He shuts off the light as he leaves the room .As Simon comes back Jeanette smiles at him .
"Thanks Simon for putting her to sleep "Jeanette glances over grateful to Simon for helping out with her sister .
"It's no problem Jeanette ",Simon takes a handful of popcorn eating it trying to figure out what the girls saw interesting in this show at all .As he sits down his phone is buzzing .He picks it up ,finding that it's a text from Dave he groaned as he read the text "I just saw the light go off are you kids just now going to bed "He reads it allowed "How does he know this is it X-ray vision ?"Simon shut his phone off and throws it down on the table .
"He can see the treehouse from your bedroom Simon it's not magic ",Brittany respond to his complaining.
"It's kind of nice Simon the way Dave looks out for you and your brothers You should be lucky to have him",Jeanette smiles kind of blushing .
"I do love my dad Jeanette but I am an adult now,he needs to let go,"Simon glances over at Jeanette .
"You're not really an adult Simon you just made yourself look like one ",Brittany talks while eating popcorn .
"Oh really ",Simon stands up switching off the tv set .Brittany's comment setting him into wanting to be an adult mode "That's it both of you bed now "He says firmly standing in front of the tv looking at the two girls ."It's bad enough your sister is falling asleep in my lap .I don't want the two of you falling asleep at school"
"It's really cool that you want to play adult ,parent ,or whatever Simon but we have been taking care of ourselves for a long time and we don't need you coming in here telling us what to do",Brittany reached over grabbing for the tv remote ,but before she could Simon got his hand on it first .He held it up in the air .
"Brittany don't give me a hard time .I said bed now "Simon points toward the staircase to their room .
"But Simon we were kind of in middle of watching that ",Jeanette smiles at him shyly .
"Bed now ",Simon snapped in a firm voice ,nodding toward the girl's bedroom .Brittany got up stomping up the stairs toward their bedroom .Her sister reacted more calmly as she walked up the steps . Simon felt kind of bad about yelling at them .Jeanette smiled as she got to the top of the stairs looking down at him.
"Night Simon ",She said while turning toward her bedroom
"Night Jeanette ",He watched her turn and walk into her room .He laid down on the couch covering himself with a blanket ,removing his glasses setting them on the coffee table before falling asleep .
(To be continued )