Colton sighed and tipped his head back, blinking several times and trying to work up the best whiny voice he could.

"Mama," he started with a frown. "Are we almost done?"

"I just have a few more things to get. We haven't been here that long."

He crossed his arms and looked into the shopping cart.

"But it's full, mama! We can't fit nothing else in there. Let's go home."

"Colton I need you to be patient for ten more minutes and then we'll go home."

He let out a pathetic fake sob and rested his head against the cart.

"I have to get up early every day to go to school," he started with a sigh. "And on Saturday you make me get up early and go grocery shopping. I am old enough to stay home by my ownself."

"Well I have to get up early every single day to get you ready for school and make your breakfast and take care of your brother and sister and then on Sunday you always come in our room before the sun is even up and wake us up and ask to go to the park."

She didn't normally talk back to the whines but she didn't enjoy grocery shopping any more than the kids did and she was feeling just as irritated as he was.

"Well I am a kid so I shouldn't have to go grocery shopping. I don't even like groceries."

"I don't like your attitude and I have to put up with that, don't I?"

"But you choosed to have kids, mama. We didn't choosed to be born."

She sucked in a beep breath and closed her eyes for five seconds.

"Colton please hold onto the cart and keep your mouth closed until we're done."

He growled low in his throat but did as she asked, glaring at her as they moved through the store.

"Mama, I be good," Ben said softly. "Have this please?"

"No, you know we don't eat that kind of stuff," she said, not giving more than a glance to the bag of salty, oily chips.

"Daddy eat it."

"I know daddy eats it but he's trying to be healthier so we don't need to bring them into the house."

"But I be good!"

"Ben I know you're being good, but I said no. Put it back on the shelf."

He nodded and waited until her back was turned, then shoved the bag of chips into the cart, underneath some bread. Colton saw him do it and his jaw dropped, but he knew he couldn't say a word so he just stood there while Ben grinned and pressed one finger to his lips.

Lindsay found what she was looking for and put it in the cart and Colton hoped that Ben would get caught in his deception, but now she was trying to hurry and didn't pay attention.

As promised, ten minutes later they were going through the checkout line. Ben had offered to help put the groceries on the belt and had managed to keep the chips pretty well hidden while Lindsay tended to a crying Avery. Colton remained silent, wanting to tattle, but also wanting to see how it all played out, and what kind of trouble his brother would get into. Everything was bagged and they loaded up the cart, managing to get all of it and themselves into the car.

"Alright Colton you can talk now."

He was almost bursting with news to tell her, but he was also very patient and knew that her finding out on her own would result in something much more exciting.

"That's okay," he said finally. "I think I like being quiet."

She shrugged and they drove home silently, except for the radio and Avery's fussing. Ben kept a mischievous grin on his face the entire time, looking out the window and kicking his feet gently against the seat. He'd never done something so obviously disobedient before, and he couldn't help but feel a little thrilled. He knew it wasn't going to go over well, but that was okay. For a little while, his mama would have to pay attention to him. Just him. Not Colton, not Avery, just Benjamin. She might yell and he might get sent to his room, but there would be hugs and cuddles after that.

That would be worth it.

"Is it time for lunch now? How about now? Right now mama? How about-"

"Colton. Enough."

"Now?"

She wanted to raise her voice, but not at him, so she turned away and ignored the question. He sighed and leaned against the fridge, watching as she put the groceries away, rubbing his stomach because he was most certainly about to die from hunger, and the groceries were not getting put away very fast.

"Benjamin Ryan Ross!"

"Yes mama?" he asked innocently, looking up from the toy he was playing with at the counter. She held the bag of chips up and cleared her throat.

"What?"

"Did you put these chips in the cart?"

"No," he answered in such a tone that she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had just lied to her.

"Ben, I asked you a question and you need to tell me the truth. Did you put these in the cart?"

"No mama. Them snacks falled in."

"No they didn't!" Colton shouted, unable to contain himself. "I seen him put them in there, mama. And he made the shh sign to me and I couldn't say nothing because you telled me not to talk but he is lying mama, right to your face like Larry Boy and the time there was the fib from space! It's Benjamin's fault, he took the chips, he's very naughty!"

Lindsay didn't acknowledge the outburst, as surprised as she was about Ben telling a lie. He'd never done such a thing before and it was completely unexpected.

"Benjamin, you need to go up to your bedroom now."

"Why? I done nothing wrong."

"You lied to me twice and you disobeyed me in the store. Go to your room."

"But mama-"

"Now, Benjamin."

Sighing as if he had been seriously slighted, he went upstairs and closed the bedroom door behind him.

"Mama?" Colton asked softly, sensing that she was more upset than he had anticipated.

"What Colton?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you first."

"That's okay. I understand."

"Are you real mad at Ben, mama?"

"I'm very mad that he lied. I don't know where he learned it."

"I mighta teached him, even though I try not to lie."

She crouched down and took his face in her hands, kissing his forehead.

"He didn't learn it from you, honey. You do a very good job of always trying to tell the truth."

"Could I go tell Ben how it makes you sad when we lie and how he should not do it because then you can't ever believe what he says?"

"No, I'll tell him. Thank you for offering though."

He nodded and started to help her with the groceries, managing to get all the vegetables put away before Avery started crying.

"Where is she, mama? I will go make her feel better."

"She's still in her carseat in the other room. Can you go give her a binkie and I'll be there in a minute?"

He nodded and went into the other room, kneeling down and smiling at his sister, stuffing the pacifier in her mouth.

"There you go. Does that make you happy?" he asked, leaning down and kissing her cheeks. "I really love you baby Aves. I think you're cute. Remember how I am your big brother? Because I will always protect you."

He reached in and took her hand and smiled when she gripped his fingers.

"When you get bigger I will teach you some stuff, okay? I don't know what I will teach you, but it will be important, so you always be listenin'."

She smiled at him behind the pacifier and he rocked her carseat gently back and forth and she kicked one leg, obviously forgetting what had been bothering her in the first place.

"You are the cutest sister in the world," he sighed, tipping his head to look at her. "Someday when you get big all the boys will want to kiss you and I will tell them no because I don't want them boys kissing on you. It is gross. I know because me and Isa tried once. It was yucky. Don't do it. Even though mama and daddy say it's not gross. Don't listen to them. They are too in love to know how yucky spit is."

She grinned and cooed at him, her pacifier falling out of her mouth.

"Looks like you've got things under control in here," Lindsay said, peeking in on them.

"Yep. She's happy but maybe you could get her out of her seat?"

Lindsay nodded and lifted Avery from the seat, kissing her cheeks before settling her on the blanket that was spread on the floor.

"I'm going to go deal with your brother. Can you keep an eye on her for a few minutes?"

"Yep, I can," he said, nodding with great importance. Lindsay watched them for a second, making sure they were okay, then went upstairs. She opened the bedroom door and found Ben sprawled out on his bed, his face buried in the pillows. He looked up at her and frowned, blinking his eyes.

"Do you know why I sent you up here?" she asked, sitting down next to him. He shook his head sadly.

"I done nothing bad."

"Benjamin I know you lied to me. You told me you didn't do something that you did do. That's wrong and you know it's wrong."

"But mama-"

"No buts young man."

His chin quivered and he started to cry.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

He sniffled and crawled into her lap, wiping his eyes on her shirt.

"I love you mama. Ben loves you."

He used his own name to emphasize his point and she sighed, hugging him back and brushing his hair back from his forehead.

"I love you too, Benjamin. I don't like it when you lie to me and disobey me."

"Okay I love you mama," he repeated, reaching up to pat her face.

"I know you love me and I love you too, that's why you need to have a consequence."

"No mama. I not like conquests."

"Consequences. And I don't care if you don't like them. If I let you get away with everything you would not be a happy kid and I would not be a happy mama and we wouldn't have a happy family. You read me?"

"No. Can't read."

She sighed.

"You're going to go to bed early tonight as your consequence."

He groaned and covered his eyes.

"Not happy, mama."

"I know you're not, but maybe this will teach you what happens when you lie and disobey. Now, you can come out of your room and play with Colton and Avery or you can stay up here. It's your choice."

He crawled out of her lap and into his bed, pulling the blankets over his face.

"So you're staying here?"

"Yup."

"Alright. Whenever you decide to come out you can."

She stood up and left the room, and he let a few tears slip down his cheeks. That did not go as planned. Usually getting in trouble ended with lots of hugs and kisses. Maybe he hadn't cried enough. Maybe he wasn't bad enough. Maybe she didn't love him as much as she loved Colton. He would have to try again later.

"We'll see you boys in the morning," Adam said crouching down to hug his sons. "I don't want to see you before then because you were naughty and we had to come and get you."

"We are always good," Colton said while Ben nodded.

"Just making sure."

"Where are you and mama going?"

"No where special. Just on a date for a few hours and you guys get to spend the night here and we'll be back in the morning."

"Okay. Bye daddy!"

They raced off to join the other kids and Adam stood up, giving Lindsay the signal that it was time to go. She gave him a look back that she wasn't done talking and he leaned against the door with a grin.

"I have no idea what the deal is with him, but if he lies to you, don't hesitate to discipline him. For some reason that's his thing lately."

"Oh how fun," Austin sighed. "You don't love it."

"I hate it. It's driving me crazy. I know he's pulling a Jan Brady but the lying really gets to me. I question almost everything he tells me now and that really bugs me. Anyway, do what you have to do."

"Would you like a report back?"

"Yes."

"You got it. Now get out of here and go have a date. You're wasting precious time. And I am sure that Jo is concocting a plan to kidnap Avery. She's been alone with her for twenty minutes, she's probably already dyed her hair and started calling her Patty."

"Hearst?"

"Yes."

"You're awful but I love you."

"I love you too but get out of my house."

"Thanks for taking the boys. We'll see you in the morning."

They made their way outside and Lindsay stopped on the sidewalk, just breathing for a moment before she started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"It's so quiet out here, I almost can't handle it."

"Quiet?" he asked, taking her hand and pulling her into his arms. "In New York City?"

"There are no screaming children out here. A train could go by and I would still think it was quiet out here."

"So it's more the quality of the sound than the quantity?"

"I suppose you could say that. Where are we going?"

He smiled and took her hand.

"Dinner. Dancing."

"I'm not dressed fancy."

"You don't have to be. We're not going anywhere fancy."

She smiled and leaned into him, feeling the warmth of the kiss he pressed to her forehead travel all the way down to her toes. They walked slowly for a while, to a small neighborhood restaurant where the lights were dim and golden and the calm quiet was very appreciated.

"Hey! Austin, Ben smacked me!"

"Nu-uh, I did not."

"Yes you did too!"

"No Cole, I did not. You hit me!"

"Ben I just watched you hit him," Austin said, sounding bored. "Say you're sorry."

"No! I not wrong!" he argued, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not sayin' it."

Austin stared at him for a second before she looked at Danny. When Lindsay had warned them about Ben's behavior they had both honestly thought she was making too much of it and never imagined they would have to see it. They hadn't really been prepared for this.

"Ben," Danny warned. Ben just shook his head defiantly, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

"Binyin, you going to get in trouble."

"I not sayin' it. I not hitted."

"But I seen you! We all seen you!"

"I. Not. Hitted."

There was a long pause before Danny stood up and grabbed Ben's hand.

"But I not do nothing!" Ben protested, even as his grumpy behind was settled down onto the timeout chair.

Danny didn't reply, just walked away, feeling weird about punishing a kid that wasn't his own, and trying to remember how Adam and Lindsay usually disciplined the boys. Ben kept his arms crossed over his chest. He had not expected to be punished here. It had never happened before and he had really been expecting that they would ignore it and it would be dealt with later at home. He waited for a few minutes and Danny and Austin finally returned. He knew they were out of their element with him, somehow he sensed that they were a little unsure and to be honest, even though he didn't understand it, he felt bad for them.

"Ben, you know that you hit Colton, didn't you?"

"Yes," he admitted with a sigh. "I did."

"And then you tried to lie about it."

"Yep."

"Do you know that's wrong?"

He nodded and looked down at the floor, swinging his legs back and forth.

"I'm sorry. I am so bad."

"No, you're not bad, buddy. You just made a bad decision," Danny assured, patting his shoulder. "You can go say sorry to your brother and then we don't have to worry about it anymore, okay?"

"No consequence?"

"We'll leave that up to your mama and daddy this time, okay?"

Ben nodded in relief as Danny bumped knuckles with him.

"Not so fast little man," Austin said, grabbing him around the waist as he tried to follow Danny out of the room.

"What Austin?"

She smiled and held him tight, tickling his bare feet and dropping kisses into his sandy colored hair. He was a lot lighter and more wiry than she imagined him to be and he settled himself into her arms, reaching up to trace over her face.

"I hear you've been getting in trouble a lot lately," she said in a light voice, hoping he didn't feel like this was a confrontation.

"Yep," he affirmed. "I done lyin' a lot."

"Why?"

He gave her a half shrug.

"Mama gives me snuggles when the bein' mad is over. She loves me after."

"Oh Ben. Don't you know that your mama loves you all the time, with all her heart?"

"But sissy… mama only hold sissy and give her kisses. Not me. Not Ben."

"I know your mama has to take care of your sister a lot. I know that maybe you feel a little left out. But that doesn't mean she doesn't love you. She loves you so much Ben."

"I was little," he sighed. "Sissy come and Cole doin' school. And me…" he gulped as he tried to think of what to say. "Me, nothing. I want mama and daddy love me like a'fore."

She squeezed him a little tighter and took his glasses off so she could wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Benjamin, I promise you that your mama and daddy still love you as much as they did before. You don't have to be bad to get their attention. If you just ask your mama for a hug she will be more than happy to give you one. Or ten."

"Really?"

"Yes. We all love you, Ben, no matter how many other kids there are."

"Okay. Austin?"

"Yes?"

"I like to lie."

"You what?"

"Like to lie. Mama listen everything I sayin'."

"She always listens to everything you say, Ben."

He sighed and shook his head and Austin moved into a more comfortable position, thinking this talk was going to be a little bit longer than she had anticipated. He knew the power of his voice, knew that he could make everyone stop and listen because his speaking was so rare. She didn't understand how he could have come to the conclusion that lying was an appropriate means of getting more attention.

"You know if you keep lying, no one will believe anything you say, even when it's the truth."

"But why?"

"Remember when your daddy gave you kids some jelly beans? And he said they were really good, but then you ate them and realized they were the Harry Potter ones?"

"Them taste like throw up."

"Yeah. And then when your daddy tried to give you real jelly beans, you didn't believe him, did you?"

"He tryna trick again."

"That's what people are going to think about you if you keep lying, Ben."

He buried his face in her chest and she could feel him start to cry as he understood the situation.

"Austin, you believe me?"

"I will believe you as long as you don't break my trust. As long as you don't lie to me."

"I not lie no more. I say truth now."

"Good."

"I got a truth!" he said, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"What is it?"

"I love you."

She smiled and hugged him tight.

"I love you too, Ben. More than you know."

"I not your baby," he said. "How you love me?"

"I love you because you're Ben. And you're cute. And you give the best hugs. And our family wouldn't be the same without you."

"Mama say all us kids are special, huh?"

"Yeah, you're all very, very special."

He smiled and patted her cheek.

"I feel happy now, Austin."

"I'm glad."

"I going to play."

"Mama! Daddy! You are here! Guess what, guess what!" Colton hollered rushing to hug them. "Know what we done last night? You know what we done?"

"What did you do?" Lindsay chuckled kneeling down so she could see him better.

"We was all sleepin' in bed and then Danny comed and waked us up because it was snowin' and we putted on our snow clothes and went to the park and played in the brand new snow! And it was dark outside and we done it anyway! And then we comed back and had hot chocolate and went back to bed."

"You did? Well I'm jealous."

"You should be, it was so fun. And 'member what you said that we wasn't going to get any more snow? You was wrong 'bout that. Also Danny pushed Austin in the snow and then she put the snow all in his face and then he put snow down her pants! Down her pants for real mama!"

"Oh my goodness."

"It was the funnest night of my life. You know what else happened?"

"What?"

"We had spaghetti and meatballs and we was so messy that Austin just taked off all our clothes so we just eated in our underwear!"

"Really?"

"Yup. Do we have to leave now?"

"Yeah, it's time to go."

"Okay, I will get my shoes on. I will be right back."

He ran into the other room excitedly and they could hear him jabbering to the rest of the kids about something.

"Were they good?" Lindsay asked, afraid of what answer Austin might give her.

"Better behaved than Danny was."

"Austin."

"Colton was fine. Ben had an issue."

"What kind of issue?"

Austin briefly told them what had happened and watched as Lindsay's face fell, whether in shame or disappointment, she wasn't sure.

"I think he's just trying to figure out what he's going to be if he's not the baby of the family. I don't think it's something permanent."

"I thought I was doing alright. I was making special time for just him every day. I guess that's not enough."

"I think it's enough but he's just a mixed up kid who doesn't really know what to do with himself. It's not your fault."

"And as much as you want to hug him and make it all go away," Adam started, leaning down into the stroller to give Avery her pacifier. "He needs to have a consequence for that."

"I know. He'll have one, I just feel bad."

"You're going to feel worse if he starts doing it more often."

"Why do I feel like you're going to make me be the bad guy on this one?"

"Because you're paranoid and agitated."

Austin chuckled.

"You two really are something else, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are."

"Hi guys! I'm Binyin!"

They looked up and saw Junior, his normally spiked hair patted down and Ben's glasses on his face.

"Well hi Ben," Lindsay chuckled. "Are you ready to come home and do chores?"

"Binyin, you not say nothin' 'bout chores!"

"Cleanin' room day," Ben said. "I stay here and play. You go to my home."

Junior looked up at Lindsay skeptically.

"I don't want to be Binyin no more."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep. Binyin will be Binyin."

She nodded and kissed his forehead before releasing him. He gave the glasses back to Ben and they held a quiet conversation for a moment before Ben tore across the room and into Lindsay's arms.

"Mama!"

"Ben!"

He held her tightly and giggled at the kisses she dropped all over his cheeks.

"I got in trouble," he reported. "Me 'n Austin was talkin'. I say truth now, okay? I do my best."

"I'm very glad."

"I make one oops the mornin'."

"You did?"

"Yup. I say to Cole that he a stinky poopy, but he not one a'those."

"Did you tell him the truth later?"

"Yup! He say sometimes I act a doo-doo head."

"He did?"

"Mmm-hmm. I not sad. Sometime I do act a doo-doo head."

"Well if you do or you don't, I love you anyway."

"Okay. I dig it. We go home now? I be done with consequence."

"Oh, you want to get it over with?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, we can go home."

He smiled and hugged her neck.

"I love you Benjamin."

"I love you too mama, for all the earth."