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

Chapter 13 - The Photo Shoot

Chapter 13

"Ok, Yeah. Bye Lil. Love you." I hit the disconnect button and sigh.

 I might not have thought I would... but I actually miss Lily, Jay and Grae a bit... I called them to see how they were... but they were impatient to get off the phone. They seemed happy enough though so I decided to ignore the fact that they'd rather play Wii than talk to me...

"Are they all good?" I snap out of reverie and turn to Claire who's dunking a teabag into... her bowl of cereal...

"Sorry?"

"Are Lily and the twins doing well?"

I stare at the bowl of milk, "Uh, yeah... You do know your dunking your teabag in a bowl right?"

She looks down in surprise, "Shit." she mutters.

I stare at her in surprise. Claire never swears. She sees my expression and shrugs, "I can let loose every now and then. I'm not as uptight as you think I am."

I shake my head and continue eating my breakfast, or brunch really since its 11 o' clock. Today's a half day at school since the teachers are writing reports or something...

The doorbell rings and soon enough Linc's in the kitchen,

"Hello dear." Claire says with a smile, "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thanks Mrs McLane." He says.

"Claire."

"Sorry... Claire, my sisters been experimenting in the kitchen and I've been labelled as the guineapig... Thank you for the offer though. "

I laugh as he sits down at the table next to me, "I should be apologising for her burst of creativity in the kitchen since I was the one who gave her the cook book... but I won't." He shakes his head and takes a bite of my toast and a sip of my OJ, "I thought you were full?"

He rolls his eyes, "Getting the taste out."

"Have you started on your assignment? Sarah said she wants to see where we are at the moment."

He picks up an apple from the bowl of fruit in the middle of the table, "Sort of... I've been thinking I'll concentrate on blow glass... but then I've been thinking... I might do a bit of pottery too."

"So in other words, you haven't started."

"Well, you could say that but if you really look into what I've said-"

"Linc."

"No. I haven't. You happy?"

I pinch his cheek, "Awww poor Hippo, you want little old me to help you out?"

He groans, "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"It's cute!"

Claire laughs, "When I first started dating John his mom used to call him Kitty, consider yourself lucky Linc." She walks out of the kitchen with a wave.

Linc glares at me and I pinch his cheeks, "Awww Hippo. Don't make that face, you're such a cutie pie! Who's a cutie? You are, oh yes you are."

"Wow, I don't know if I should gag or help the poor guy out." Tristan says as he grabs the milk out of the fridge.

I stick my tongue out at him and grab Linc's hand, "Come on, I'll grab my bag and we'll go."

We head out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"And where do you think you're going?" we stop and look down at the landing where John's standing, his arms crossed.

"Uh... upstairs?"