The Unknown

After the movie

Nobody speaks during the car ride home from the mall. Julie is still curled up in a ball fast asleep. Stacey is nervous about the punishment Mike's about to dole out once they get back to the Center.  Lisa is just glad to not be in trouble for once so she keeps her mouth shut, knowing that's often what lands her over Mike's or Shane's lap. Carrie is simply enjoying the silence, she's always preferred a quiet atmosphere over a loud one. Shane is focusing on his driving since traffic is unusually heavy tonight. Mike is contemplating the best way to discipline the cousins for skipping kp duty and sneaking off to the movies while grounded.

Stacey's pov

Shane pulls into his parking spot at the Center and after he, Carrie, and Lisa get out, Mike turns to address me and Julie.

"I expect the two of you to go straight to my room to face your punishment for skipping kp duty tonight. Understand?" Mike is not amused by our mischief.

"UUGGGHHHH! We didn't even skip kp duty, Mabel gave us permission." I voice my displeasure with Mike's plan, knowing this won't end well for me but too tired to care. "Can't we just do this tomorrow?" I whine. "I just want to go to bed."

"Well, last time I checked..." Mike makes a point of looking at his watch, "... it was Mike's still in charge o'clock and I most certainly did not give you permission to miss kp duty." Mike's look is becoming more foreboding as his patience level declines. "So wake up your cousin and come straight to my room."

I sigh and roll my eyes in response.

"So help me God, Stacey, if you roll your eyes at me one more time tonight, I will not hesitate to belt you every night this week. Make no mistake about it, I will do whatever it takes to put an end to your entitled disrespectful attitude."

Mike's glare is making me extremely uncomfortable, so much so, I squirm in my seat and look out the window to avoid him.

"You have five minutes." Mike makes a point of closing the car door rather forcefully as he exits the vehicle.

Mike's room

Mike's pov

"So how do you want to handle this?" Shane asks, taking a seat in the chair by my bed.

"I don't know." I shake my head as I pace the floor. "I just don't know what to do anymore, Shane. Just when I thought things were getting better." I sigh and rub my forehead. "I was actually proud of them for how they were handling kp duty but then they pull this stupid stunt and I feel like we're back to square one. I just don't know anymore." I stand with my hands on my hips facing Shane, hoping he has some words of wisdom regarding our two oldest charges.

"You know I'll support whatever decision you make, Mike."

Not exactly the divine intervention I was hoping for.

"Was Neil right, Shane? Are the girls out of control? Is it our fault? Are we lousy guardians?"

Shane stands up and walks over to me.

"No bloody way. Neil was just upset when he said those things. I don't think he really meant them."

"Yeah, I know he was upset. HE PADDLED US, FOR CHRISSAKE." I turn my back to Shane. "That was really humiliating." I swallow hard, recalling that day in his office after the girls were pulled over by the police, remembering how much that hurt my pride and my backside for that matter.

"Don't let him get in your head, Mike. We both know Neil was just being a hardass 'cause that's what he does. I don't think he intended for us to doubt our parenting abilities, he was just pissed we left him out of the loop."