The Sinclair Brothers ✔️

(47) Boyfriend Things

Her exhaustion drove her straight to sleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. However, the pain in her neck and the uncomfortable swelling woke her back up at three in the morning, and then she lie awake for several hours.

It wasn't until noon Sunday morning that she woke up, washed her face and brushed her teeth. Her stomach urged her to hurry along downstairs for some breakfast.

Unfortunately, more than just breakfast waited for her in the kitchen.

"Good morning. Did you sleep alright?" Will asked, laying the paper on the counter top and removing his glasses. A half empty cup of tea steamed on the island beside his paper.

"Fine," she commented back quietly. She didn't really want to talk about.

She'd never been grounded before. Or punished. Whatever that meant. This whole process was new to her so she didn't know what to expect. And she didn't like walking into something blindly.

"Oh you're up." Carolynn, carrying a load of fresh laundry, joined them in the kitchen from the basement.

"Can we get this over with?" Makennah asked, standing on the other side of the island and handing her hands inside the sleeves of her long sleeve Wolverines shirt.

Will chuckled quietly. Well he didn't seem to be mad. That was a good thing. "Anxious?"

"I've never been grounded before," she admitted.

"Never?" Carolynn asked loudly in disbelief as she entered Makennah's personal space to tilt up her chin and take a long look at her neck.

"You've never gotten in trouble before?" Will inquired thoughtfully.

Makennah shrugged. "I didn't do anything bad by my mom's standards. And at other homes, I just didn't get caught."

Will snickered but Carolynn shot him a look that shut him up. "Yes well...today is your lucky day because we decided not to ground you."

Makennah reeled back, totally shocked. "What?"

Carolynn patted her on the shoulder. "You can keep your streak going."

"Okay not that I'm complaining...but why?" She crossed her arms over her body and hunched her shoulders. Were they trying to psychologically punish her? Because it was working. She didn't know what was happening.

Carolynn stood at Will's side and looped her arm around his shoulders. They approached her in companionship how they always did whenever they had a serious talk to conduct. "In a very short amount of time, you've gone through a great deal. While we don't condone your actions, we understand why you may have done what you did," Carolynn started.

Will continued for her, "Adding a punishment to what you've already been through wouldn't be fair."

"However, it does demand attention. Though we do hope you will be with us for a very long time..." Carolynn started and then stopped, delicately placing her hand on her throat.

Will placed his hand over Carolynn's. "We can't control that. So as long as you are with us, we intend to treat you with the best care possible and what we think might suit you."

Carolynn cleared her throat. "With that being said, we think the best thing for you would be to go to counseling," Carolynn explained slowly.

Makennah raised her eyebrows. "Um...what?"

"You don't have to talk. You don't have to listen. But you do have to go. If it helps you to think of this as a punishment, then that's fine," Will said.