Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 17.5 - The Siblings, The Party, The Pool Cleaner

I trudge groggily down the stairs on hot, stuffy Saturday morning, straight into a room full of chaos and noise.

I look around blearily in my shorts and tank as I try to take in what’s going on.

Everyone’s running around holding something or other as Claire shouts out orders left and right while stirring something in a massive bowl.

I rub my eyes with one hand, “What’s going on Claire?” I mumble, walking over.

Her frown disappears when she sees me and she beams at me, “We’re just cleaning up the house before the twins and Lilly come over.”

I nod my head as I start to make my coffee but then freeze, “Wait, what?”

She shrugs and starts to pour what looks like chocolate batter into a brownie tin, “Since Linc’s not coming today for the pool party I thought I might get your sister and brother’s to come over. It’s been a while since you’ve seen them.”

My mood lightens, I actually have missed them a bit. It’ll be nice to see them again, “Wait. We’re having a pool party?” I ask her slowly. 

Claire beams at me, “Yes! It’s going to be so much fun!” she slaps Jakes hand away as he detours from taking an assortment of swimming equipment outside and tries to stick his finger in the brownie batter. She turns around to look in a cupboard, mumbling something about chocolate chips.

He rubs his hand, forgetting that he’s holding a mountain load of stuff and it falls to the ground.

I sigh and bend down to help him pick the flippers, goggles and rubber floaties up. “You’re such a klutz.” I mutter.

He straightens up holding most of the stuff, “And good morning to you too, Ms I’m-so-special-that-I-can-stay-in-bed-till-12-pm.”

“It’s only 10:30.” I grumble, following him out of the kitchen and out onto the back porch with a couple of kickboards.

We head down towards the pool. Jake unlocks the gate and holds it open for me, “Sleeping beauties first.” He says with a smirk.

I flounce past him, with a haughty look on my face, sticking my butt out and swinging my hips, “Yes, yes.” I say waving him off, “Now, servant! Get down on your knees and worship me.”

He drops his pile on the ground near the other side of the pool which is partly hidden behind the garden shed which has been built right next to the pool gate, “Don’t get so full of yourself.”

I stick my tongue out at him and kneel down to help him sort the flippers back into their proper pairs. “So why’s Claire so busy this morning?”

He shrugs and hands me a bright pink flipper to match the one in my hand, “Well I guess she just wants to impress your brothers and sister? I don’t know. I guess she’s like this whenever she knows someone’s coming over.”

I pick up a pair of goggles with dolphin’s lining them and smile as I imagine Sam splashing around in the water with them on.

“You know.” I say after a period of silence, “I sometimes wonder why they aren’t staying here with us. Like, why would they go to ‘friends’ houses instead of coming here? We’ve basically known each other all our lives.”

Jake sits on the ground and I do the same as he takes the tiny pair of flippers out of my hands. “Well… I don’t know if this is true or not… but mom was talking about it… before you came. I was just in the other room and I heard her talking to dad about how she was kind of pissed that your dad didn’t get them to stay here too even though they’re practically family.”