End of an Era (Book 7)

Handle It

|Tyler's POV|

I watched as our youngest sat at the kitchen island. From the tone of my wife's voice, I knew whatever Mikayla did, it wasn't good.

"Mikayla, explain to your father and I why there's a ladder next to your bedroom window."

"What?!"

I turned to Mikayla and she instantly put her head down.

"Uh, uh, eyes up."

She whined, but lifted her head to face us.

"You let someone into this house?"

She quickly shook her head.

"See, what happened was, I have this friend and uh, they were having a rough time and needed someone to talk to."

I rolled my eyes.

"They couldn't call you?" I quizzed.

"Dad, some people feel more comfortable talking in person."

"You can do that in the daylight."

She huffed.

"I was just being there for my friend. It won't happen again."

"It shouldn't have happened in the first damn place. What are the rules Mikayla? We've made it clear to your sister no sneaking out and no sneaking people in. If there was really an issue, you come to us and explain.," Izzy said.

"I'm sorry," she whined.

"That's not good enough, Mikayla. Anything could've happened to you using a damn ladder to climb out of this house. What if you slipped and fell? You could have cracked your damn head. What would that leave you with? Oh I don't know, a concussion, unconscious, or worse, dead!"

I swear, these kids don't fully think things through.

"Dad, I really just wanted to be there for my friend. I apologize for sneaking out."

Izzy shook her head.

"Grounded. That party you wanted to go to this weekend, no. Oh and the one next week, that's a no, too."

"Mom!"

"Don't raise your voice at me Mikayla. We're not going back and forth about it. You can't listen to the rules then you're restricted from what you want to do. No, it's not negotiable either so don't bother drafting a plan to save your ass. The decision is final. I'll wrap up your breakfast to go."

"I still have to go to school?"

"Damn right you're still going to school."

"Daddy, I'm tired."

She used her baby voice which I'll admit has worked to her advantage over the years. Today isn't that day.

"I don't care, Mikayla. No one told you to sneak out. You interrupted your own rest. Go get your stuff so you're not late."

Mikayla rolled her eyes and mumbled, leaving the kitchen.

"Next time say it louder and clear enough so we all can hear," Izzy shouted after her.

She moved around the kitchen cleaning up and wrapping breakfast for Mikayla. She was mumbling to herself, a clear sign she was pissed off.

"Babe..."

"What, Tyler?"

I grabbed her hand, turning and pinning her against the sink.

"Calm down."

"Calm down? We have one that has an attitude because she's not getting her way. Then the way she spoke to us before she left? She knows better. Then we have the one that just went back upstairs scaling the damn house. Can you imagine if someone called the police of a break in?"