"Home should be an anchor, a port in a storm, a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love." -Marvin J. Ashton

The next day, Jennifer and Penelope are the first ones awake. Jennifer is in the kitchen cooking oatmeal, while Penelope is standing outside the kitchen. Jennifer told her sister to stand outside the kitchen so she doesn't get hurt.

Spencer wakes up smelling food. He thinks that his father is cooking, so he walks out of his room and heads to the kitchen. When he sees Jennifer cooking he stares in shock for a moment and then speaks.

"You're not supposed to be cooking." Spencer told the older girl.

Jennifer turned around to face Spencer, "You're just a little kid. You're only five. I'm nine. I can cook."

"I'm telling my Papá. You're not allowed to cook. Papá is going to give you time out." Spencer said as he ran off to his father's room.

"I'm scared that Mr. Rossi will be mad just like Spencer said, Jenny." Penelope spoke softly

Jennifer looked at her sister and smiled, "It's okay, Penny. Everything will be fine."

"What if he hits you like Mrs. Gainey used to?" Penelope wondered

"It doesn't matter. You'll be safe. Remember, I'll always protect you just like Roz protected us." Jennifer assured. Roz, or Roslyn was Jennifer and Penelope's older sister. She had died protecting her younger siblings two years ago.

Penelope gave a nod, "Okay Jenny."

Meanwhile in David's room, Spencer climbs up on the bed to wake up his father.

"Papá! Papá! Wake up!" Spencer exclaimed

David sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "I'm up, Piccolo Genio. I'm up, baby. What's wrong?"

"Jennifer is cooking." Spencer informed

"What?!" David asked shocked as he climbed out of bed and headed out of the bedroom. Spencer followed after his father.

When David sees Jennifer in the kitchen cooking oatmeal, David rushes over to the child, removes the pot from her hand, and carries her out of the kitchen.

Jennifer kicks and squirms as David picks her up, "Let me go! Let me go! Penny, save me!"

A frozen, scared Penelope doesn't know what to do, so she starts screaming loudly.

David sets Jennifer down on the couch, and then he turns to Penelope, "Hey Penelope, it's okay. You don't have to scream. Your sister is fine."

Penelope stops screaming and looks at him, before giving a small nod. She walked around him and sat on the couch next to her sister, and hid slightly behind her twin.

David turned back to face Jennifer, "Jennifer, I didn't mean to scare you, but you scared me. Do you know why I carried you out of the kitchen?"

"No." Jennifer replied as she shook her head, "I was just making oatmeal. Penny and I woke up and were hungry. You were still asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I didn't think it would be a problem if I cooked. I'm sorry."

David sighed softly, "The reason I don't want you to cook, at least without adult supervision is because cooking is dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. And I forgive you."

"Okay. I'm really sorry, sir." Jennifer apologized again

"It's okay. You didn't know. You were just doing what you've done in the past." David assured the girl. Jennifer just gave a nod.

David smiled at the twins and then headed into the kitchen to finish the oatmeal that Jennifer had started. Soon Emily walked out of her house room sleepily while rubbing her eyes.

"What was with all the yelling?" Emily asked with Derek trailing behind her

"Penelope screamed." Spencer stated

Jennifer looked over at Emily and Derek, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I got scared. Penny was just trying to help me."

"It's okay." Derek replied, "I understand."

"Do you mind if I sit down between you two?" Emily asked as she looked at Jennifer and Penelope.

Penelope looks at her twin and then nods to Emily, who smiles softly and sits down on the couch between the twins.

"I know what it's like to be scared. Before being placed with Dave, I was scared all the time. I had foster parents that weren't nice, and I can tell that you both have too. Sometimes I am still scared, even though I know I am safe here, and I can promise you both that you are safe here too." Emily explained

"Two years ago our older sister died protecting us, but I don't know how." Jennifer said, "Penny didn't see anything. I didn't let her look at our sister Roslyn after our foster father was done with her."

Emily nodded sadly, "Oh, I'm sorry. If I may ask how did she die?"

Jennifer took a breath, "She bled to death from..." She looked down and pointed discreetly at her private part.

Emily gave a nod, "Oh..um...I'll tell you when you're older."

"Why can't I know now?" Jennifer wondered. She carefully took Penelope's hand.

Penelope looked at Emily with her signature puppy dog eyes that always worked on Roslyn.

Emily shook her head, "No. I'm sorry, girls, you're just too young. You shouldn't know about such things. I'm sorry that you saw what you did, Jennifer."

"It's okay." Jennifer assured Emily.

Soon they heard David call out 'breakfast!' from the kitchen. Derek and Spencer rushed into the kitchen, while Jennifer, Emily, and Penelope took their time.

Penelope stood up from the couch and stepped over to Emily. She lifted her arms up to the teen who was already standing. Emily looked at Penelope and then at Jennifer.

"Penny trusts you. She wants you to carry her." Jennifer said

Emily smiled softly as she picked up the younger girl. Penelope and Jennifer may have been nine, but they were the size of seven year olds. Penelope was easy to pick up, even for Emily, who is only sixteen. Emily carried Penelope as she headed into the kitchen with Jennifer for breakfast.

"You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not." -Jodi Picoutt

Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.

What would you like to see happen next?