"Mah." Olivia said, touching her hand to the pearPad's screen.
I smile as the jewels on the screen started to align, moving the game forward.
Once she realized what was happening, Olivia smiled and clapped.
Then Olivia pushed the pearPad to Ellie.
"Thank you! You're sharing." She smiled, then kissed her cheek.
Olivia smiled, but kept rapt attention as Ellie rapidly aligned jewels and caused the score of the game to go from 20,000 to 60,000 seemingly instantly.
"Now let's let Sydney have a turn. Ok?"
Olivia quickly pushed the pearPad to me.
I smile and tickle her, then get a few thousand points.
"How are we in here?" Aunt Tori said quietly.
"Mama!" Olivia jumped, then turned and rolled the wrong direction before spotting her and rushing over.
"Now, you've been walking at home. Why don't you want to walk here sweetheart?" Her mom asked, picking Olivia up and setting her on her feet.
Olivia quickly grabbed for something to hold onto.
Her mom turns her to hold onto my dresser, and she latched onto it.
And took a couple of uneasy steps.
"Look at you. Look at you!" Ellie gushed.
Olivia didn't respond at all, and continued to slowly make her way to the end of my dresser, then reached out and kept going, now using my bedside table as her crutch.
I keep my attention on Olivia, and how focused she looks.
"Olivia! Over here!" Tori called out.
"WRAAHHH!" Olivia loudly replied.
"Ok then." Her mom said.
"Yeah Mom, I'm trying to walk here. Jeez." Ellie smiled.
"MAMA!" Olivia yelled again.
"Trying to concentrate here guys. Please shush." I say.
Olivia looked very coordinated reaching out for my comforter to hold onto.
I hear Aunt Tori's phone click, and I subtly scoot closer to my bed.
A few moments later, Olivia's eyes locked onto me.
"Here." I smile, holding out my arm.
Olivia reached out, and grabbed my hand, then kept walking until she'd be walking on my legs.
Then she took both hands off the comforter and grabbed onto me.
But she pinched the spot at the bottom of my collarbone and the start of my arm.
"OW!" I yelp, just as she transferred all of her weight to me.
Since I'm focused on her pinching me, we both tumble to the floor.
I stop her from pinching me more, and she looks at me, confused.
"Don't pinch. That hurts." I say.
She made a soft noise, and then laid down on me.
"I'm done. Time to nap." Ellie said.
I hear another click, and laugh.
"That's not fair." I say.
"Yeah it is." Tori said.
I can hear her smiling.
"It's fair game." A deeper voice said.
Both Olivia and I look to see who it is.
"AGA!" Olivia said gleefully, then rushed to him.
One problem though.
My face was in the way.
I scrunch up and close my eyes just as Olivia trampled all over my face to get to her Aga.
"Olivia! Say sorry to Sydney!" Her mom said quickly.
Olivia made a curious sound, and I open my eyes and roll over to see Olivia looking back to me, while at Austin's feet.
Once Olivia saw me look at her, she turned back around and grabbed for Austin.
I groan as Ellie helped me up.
"You have heavy knees. Just so you know." I say.
Feels like somebody punched the very top of my eye socket.
"Sorry." Aunt Tori said.
I smile and wave her off and Olivia has her attention, along with both of her hands on Austin's arm brace.
The other arm has ice wrapped around it, and is being kept in place with brown athletic stuff.
"Oh yeah, the doctor's was today." I say, causing Austin to laugh and hang his head while smiling.
"How'd that go?" Tori asked.
"It was ok. I haven't seen anybody else, so I think everyone would want to hear at the same time." Austin said, as Ellie stood.
"Fair enough." Tori shrugged, then started downstairs.
The rest of us followed, with Olivia pulling my hair from behind on the way down.
"Hey!" Mom lit up , as Austin and I followed Ellie and Aunt Tori.
"How are you feeling?" Aunt Jade asked him.
"Ok. Saw the doctor today."
"Are you hurt?" Corey asked, and I jump.
Didn't know he was there.
"Yeah." He replied, with a laugh.
Mom, Beck and Jade all give him a funny look.
"I'm not getting the humor." Ellie stated.
"Well, it's not easy to explain."
"We've got zaplook if we need it." Andre said.
"Ok. Left arm first. Bone bruise and partially dislocated elbow."
Everybody's eyes bulge.
"Dislocated?" Mom asked, looking dumbfounded.
Corey is furiously typing on Mom's pearPad.
"That's the term, but it's jammed and turned to the side." Austin said, causing Dad to cringe.
"Is this it?" Corey asked Mom, handing her the pearPad.
"Yeah honey, thanks."
"I wouldn't look much up on it. It's kinda gruesome." Austin said gently.
"So we shouldn't play the animation?" Aunt Jade said.
"No. Don't. It's awful." Austin said firmly.
"Play it." Ellie said forcefully.
…
Suddenly, Mom jumped in the air and yelped, Olivia looked to her, and everyone else looked horrified.
"I told you not to play the animation!" Austin said, smiling at Ellie.
"You know she doesn't listen." Andre teased her, causing her to look over at him.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Basically, my elbow is out of its socket. It happened when I landed weird on it." He said.
Corey came over and hugged his waist.
"Do you want some ice or something?" He asked, looking up at him.
"I've already got ice. Thanks though."
"Wait…that's that arm." Aunt Jade pointed out, pointing at the arm with the brace.
The other arm is the one with the ice.
"What's the other arm then?" Dad asked.
"That…is the bad news."
Suddenly the entire room tensed up a little.
"The other arm is a severely strained UCL."
Mom looked to dad, causing me to look.
"That…is bad."
"Not as bad as you think. It's not torn, which means I don't need TJ." He countered.
"TJ?" Corey parroted.
"It's a surgery." Austin reassured him.
"But you don't need it?" Beck said.
Austin nodded.
"So what do you do with it?" I ask.
"Rest, then rehab."
"So you're done for the year?" Mom said, sounding sad.
"Yeah. But it'll be good in the long run, which is more important." Austin shrugged.
"Did you get a painkiller?" Beck asked him.
"Yeah, but the doctor said that the first time I take it, I'll be messed up for the rest of the night."
"Messed up?" Corey parroted back at him.
"Yeah. Mainly sleepy." Austin smiled at him.
"Well don't drive back if you're tired." Ellie said.
"I won't. I'm going to take it after dinner. And hopefully I'll be ok to get back home."
"Tell us if you aren't. Okay?" I say to him."
He smirked, then glanced over at me and said "Okay."
"Now I'd love to keep chatting, but everyone needs to get the heck out of my kitchen. I have food to prepare and dinner to make. Bye. Out."
Austin, Ellie and I laugh as we lead the way out, followed by Corey.
The adults stayed and started helping mom out with dinner.
"Okay, let's go upstairs." Austin said, then took the stairs two at a time, leading Ellie and I back up to my room.
When Austin sat her down next to him, she immediately crawled back onto him and grabbed his arm.
"Aga?"
"I'm going to be fine. Don't you worry about me. You wanna play your game?"
Olivia made a loud whining noise, and looked at his arm again.
"Aww." I say.
It's too cute.
"Aga's going to be ok sweetie. Don't worry." Ellie said.
Austin grabbed Olivia, then made a silly face that got her to giggle.
"Enough frowning. Play your game little duck." Austin set her down.
Immediately she crawled to Ellie, who was bringing the game back up.
She clapped happily when it came back up on the screen.
"So…Syd." I hear Austin say, as Olivia is getting better at using the touchscreen.
"Yeah?" I say, smiling at Olivia, then turning to face him.
"The internet has a good rumor about you going. That you're going to a music awards show."
Oh yeah.
I attended the MTV one, but didn't do anything. I snuck in, with their help and used it to learn.
Thankfully they didn't mind and we're very helpful and accommodating.
"I plan on actually going this time."
"Doing the red carpet thing." Ellie said, still focused on the pearPad.
Austin lightly laughed, then said "Cool. When is it?"
"First week of November." Ellie and I both say.
Olivia raised her voice and make a nonsense noise, then waved her arms.
"Yes, Halloween is next week! What are you going to be Miss Olivia?" Austin smiled at her.
"Pbtth."
"I think you'd be a cute ladybug. But that's my opinion." Austin replied.
Olivia didn't reply, and just moved some jewels around.
"How about a pumpkin?" Ellie suggested.
"ooh! That's great!" I say.
"Blows my idea away. But that's cool." Austin smiled.
Olivia suddenly pushed the pearPad to me, then keeled over and plopped onto my leg.
"Hi." I smile, as Ellie rolled her eyes.
"Goofy girl."
Olivia watched me as I get some points, then hand off to Ellie.
But Olivia pushes herself up and takes it from her.
I frown lightly at her, as Ellie is laughing.
"Alright then. You can have a turn."
Olivia made a quiet noise in reply.
…
"So…y'all two have been awful quiet recently." Ellie began.
I glance over at her, and see Austin looking lost.
"What do you mean?"
"You know me, I'm always making people mad." Austin smirked at me.
"Those national columnist idiots shouldn't be talking." I say quickly.
"ANYWAY…" Ellie jumped in. "You two have been a quiet couple recently. Basically since school started."
"We've been busy. I'm the problem." Austin replied.
"No, she's been busier." Ellie countered.
"Not for the past 3 weeks or so." Austin shot back to her.
Whoa.
"What are you trying to say by the way?" Austin cut off her line of questioning.
"Nothing. Just worried you two are breaking up."
WHAT?
I look at her, not quite believing my ears.
Then Austin laughed, causing Olivia to jump.
"We're not breaking up." I blurt out.
"Absolutely not. No no no." Austin said.
"Aga?" Olivia turned to him.
Austin then grabbed her under her arms and said "No. Sydney and I are not breaking up. We still love each other."
I barely hear a "whoa" come from Ellie, but I ignore it.
Olivia clapped, then Austin kissed her cheek.
"And we have been out on a date. We just didn't call it that."
Ellie whips around and looks at me.
I avoid her gaze and check to see if I have any texts.
"Sneaky…" Ellie said to me.
"Yeah, but it wasn't anyone's business. I owed her a 6 month anniversary dinner, and I delivered."
"So you came thru?"
I pop my head up and stare at her.
THAT'S NOT FUNNY!
"Your attempt at a joke isn't appreciated. And we're not going there with Olivia here. She's a bit too young to find out how she was made."
At the sound of Austin saying her name, Olivia banged her open hand on his knee.
"I wasn't going there, but if you say it like that…" Ellie trailed off.
"Ellie." I say sharply.
She's starting to get on my nerves.
"Fine fine." She said defensively.
Before anyone else can talk, Aunt Jade yelled "DINNER!", causing us to change course.
Corey, Kevin and Matt all slip past the 4 of us as we're going down the stairs.
Which led to the normal argument.
"I keep telling you guys not to run down the stairs! One of you is going to get hurt!" Dad frowned at Kevin and Corey.
"But we haven't yet!" Corey piped up.
"And we won't!" Matt added on.
"Matthew!" Beck snapped at him.
Dad picked up where he left off. "I don't care that nothing has happened yet. If you keep ignoring you, I'll have to take some stuff away temporarily. Okay?"
"Okay." They chimed back.
"Now go help set the table." Mom ordered, while not looking up from her platter of…something.
Austin and I follow the guys into the kitchen, and I see that it's turkey.
"Turkey?" Ellie asked.
"It was marked way down at the store. I couldn't resist." Dad said, handing out silverware to people.
When Austin and Olivia got up to the silverware drawer, Dad handed Austin butter knives, and Olivia a spoon, causing her to giggle madly.
"Silly girl. It's a spoon!" Dad smiled at her, as she stuck it in her mouth.
Austin bit his lip and said "We're going to need one more spoon."
"Nope, that was going to be hers anyway." Aunt Jade said.
"Ahh. Somebody is smart." I say.
Over dinner, we briefly talk about Austin's arm a little more, but find out that he basically told us everything earlier. The fact that he's going back to set a surgery date this Thursday is the only piece of new news.
Then we turned our attention to Halloween and costumes for everyone.
Our idea for Olivia being a pumpkin was a huge hit.
"You're going to be a great pumpkin!" Her mom said, as Olivia grabbed several kernels of corn and started eating them.
Everybody cleared their plates, and Austin pulled a pill bottle out of his pocket before dessert.
Then he promptly went thru 4 bowls of ice cream with chocolate sauce.
"I miss having a metabolism." Aunt Jade frowned at his sugary display.
Austin sheepishly smiled.
Everything was fine until he got up to put his bowl in the sink.
One wobbly step, then he crashed to the floor.
I hear noises of surprise in the background, but I'm already heaving him into sitting up.
"What's wrong? Are you ok?" I ask quickly.
"Got up too fast. Super dizzy." He replied, then groaned and covered his head with his hands.
"Anything other than that? Nauseous?" Mom asked.
I hear Austin groan and shake his head.
I start pulling him up, but he shook out of my grip and went back to having his head in between his knees.
"I don't want to get up Syd. Sorry. I'd much rather just stay sitting here." He said.
"Do you feel bad?" Kevin asked, and I turn around to see everyone looking at us, with Mom halfway out of her chair.
"No, I was fine until I got up. Then my stomach turned and whoosh. Felt awful." Austin said into the floor.
"I don't think you should be driving home." I hear somebody, I think Dad say.
"That wouldn't be smart. I'll text my grandma later…" Austin said. "Would you mind if I lied down upstairs?"
"Of course not. Do you feel like getting up?"
He shook his head, but that was made mute by Kevin, Matt and Corey all coming and lifting him up.
I hear one of them say "Theater" then they're off to the stairs.
They disappear out of sight, and I realize I'm biting the inside of my lip.
"Go. We've got this." Ellie heaved me up, then kicked me to the stairs.
Olivia cried out for me, and I take her, then go upstairs and find out that they did indeed take him to the couch in the theater room.
Matt disappeared as soon as I get there.
"Thanks guys. I owe you one."
"Do you feel sick?" Corey asked.
"Mom's got a ton of medicine downstairs." Kevin volunteered.
"Nah, it's not that I'm sick. It's this stupid painkiller."
"AGAAA!" Olivia wailed.
"It's okay." I say calmly.
Olivia is still staring at the couch, where Austin is hidden from her view.
"Do you think it's working?" Kevin asked, as Matt reappeared with some ice water in a plastic jug.
"Thanks." Austin said to him, taking it. "And yeah. A little too well."
"I called your grandma Austin." Mom suddenly appeared, causing me to jump out of my skin.
"Oh my…Mom!" I say.
She really got me.
"Sorry sweetie."
I hear Austin laugh quietly, and swat his leg.
"But she basically ordered me to make you stay here for the night. So you're stuck." Mom said.
"Yay!" Corey cheered.
"It's a Monday, no new bedtime. Same as always." Mom immediately says to him.
"But Austin's here—" He and Kevin start to say, but Mom cut them off.
"Don't care. Life goes on. Your sister can handle him just fine."
"Oh she'll handle him alright." Matt said.
I lean across Kevin and hit him arm hard.
"OW!"
"Not funny." I say.
"Anyway…if you're not feeling better by 10 Austin, you're staying home tomorrow." Mom said.
"You serious?" He asked, sounding skeptical.
"Yep. Now you better let me know if you need anything. Got it?"
"I will. Sorry about causing a scene." Austin replied.
"Don't worry about it."
"Would you mind if we watch a movie up here?" I ask Mom.
"Sure. But just you three."
"MOM!" Kevin and Corey yelp in protest.
"That's not fair!"
Olivia cried out in surprise.
"It doesn't matter. My house, my rules. Now go help your father with the dishes."
Kevin and Matt disappeared, but Corey stubbornly stayed.
"Corey. Go downstairs." Mom said, firmer.
"You're not being fair." Corey pouted.
"It's not about fair. It's about what's right and what we need to do. Now go."
I hear him say "This sucks." As he marched down the stairs, each footstep louder than the last.
"Last thing, then I'll let you guys watch your movie. Olivia is staying here, so when she falls asleep, don't worry about it." Mom smiled.
"Sounds good." Austin smiled.
"I'll be around if you need me." Mom smiled at me, then left the room.
Robbie POV
"Let us know if he has trouble. We'll help out with the bill and stuff." Beck said.
"I will. Doubt he will. Haven't heard anything up there since Cat came back down."
Ellie slipped past me, and followed her parents to her car.
Tori and Andre weren't far behind, clearly ready to start catching up on their sleep.
I smile as I close the door and lock it, then slip into our bedroom.
Cat looked up when I walk in, and immediately said "Boys are in bed. Grudgingly, but they're there."
"Thanks." I smile, then sit next to her.
"Heard from Sydney?" She asked me.
I shake my head.
"Same. It's been quiet."
"I had to talk everyone out of calling a doctor on the way out."
"Really?" Cat asked, looking up at me.
I nod.
"Well then, can you go up and check on them? I was supposed to an hour ago, but the dishes dragged on."
I smile, then kiss her cheek and rise to my feet.
…
…
I hear a movie going.
I cross the small area between the stairs and the Theater room and peek over the couch, then immediately smile.
They're all passed out.
Austin, with Olivia on his chest, and Sydney curled up to him.
The light is still on too.
I grab the blanket draped over the couch and gently place it on them so that they won't notice.
I kill the remaining lights in the room and the hall, snap a picture then slip back into our room.
"So?" She asked me.
I hand her my phone, and immediately she smiled and tapped the screen.
"I'm posting that. It's too cute not to."
"Should we wake them up in the morning?" I ask.
She's the decision maker with this kind of thing.
"Nah. They've had a lot of stress recently. They can have one day off."