Chapter Four
After a long day of school the last thing I wanted to do was wash all the dishes my family had left for me in the sink. I didn't want to lay a single finger on all the food remains they had mushed around on the white plates just for my amusement. Frankly, it was just for my horror.
Regardless of my pleading and hope a single note was left for me on the front door saying my Mother had left to go grocery shopping and she expected the dishes to be done before she got home by five. As I entered the door my dad was scrolling through some emails on the couch and my brother was playing play station quietly on the other sofa.
"Alex is home!" Bengie hollered alarming my dad, jolting him almost completely from the couch.
"Hi Bengie," I laughed as he came hurdling towards me to wrap his arms around my waist. "Why so affectionate?" I laughed dropping my back pack on the island.
"Mom said you'd take me to the park so I'm happy," He smiled.
"Oh did she now?" I cocked my eyebrow. My Dad staring back at me, may I add, quite amused.
"She wasn't too happy at the fact you missed dinner last night." My Dad shrugged keeping his eyes on the screen of his laptop.
"For cripes sake I was with Charlotte!"
"Not saying you weren't." He defended putting his hands up in surrender. "But your Mother wants what she wants so I'd get too it if I were you."
"But I have calculus homework." I pouted as Benjamin pulled on my pant leg motioning me to get ready.
"It'll be here when you get back." He said.
"What about the dishes? Huh? Mom can't expect me to be the maid!" I retorted turning towards the mountain of plates in the sink.
"Dishes first, then park." He simply stated before turning back to his laptop to continue emails.
I groaned before letting Benjamin know I'd be done in ten minutes. So I got to it, scrubbing dish after dish nearly wiping my hands raw after the cleaning was complete.
My Dad smiled at me as I gave him a sarcastic grin back before walking upstairs to change into some grey sophie shorts and a sweatshirt. I grabbed my sneakers and walked down the hall to peak my head into my brothers room.
"Ready?" I said. He nodded quickly before tossing the comic book back onto the floor and followed me out of his room. "What'd I say about the comic book, Bengie?"
He just spat his tongue out at me ignoring the fact that someday I would get him back for ruining his things. After all, he was only eight.
"Bye, Dad." I said before opening the door for Benjamin and waving goodbye. I locked the door behind me and ran down the steps trying to catch up to my speedy brother.
"Can I sit in the front seat?" He asked.
"Are you twelve yet?" I retorted not even glancing at him as I circled around to Benjamin's side of the car.
"No." He grumbled quietly in defeat.
"You have a car seat for a reason." I replied opening the back door helping him into his car seat and buckling him up.
"But I'm eight, and I'm almost ninety pounds now. Isn't that enough?" He whined.
"No one likes a whiner, Bengie. You're lucky I'm taking you to the park."
"No, Mom is." He smirked at me.
"When did you get so sassy?" I laughed closing the door and going to the other side to start the car. I pulled it into reverse and started on main street. Everything in our town was pretty central, after all it was Massachusetts.
