The Usual Rules

Chapter 29

Elizabeth was in hell. Where was the polite, well mannered, adorable child she had met and loved? This certainly wasn't her. Rachel was currently jumping up and down on her bed, yelling some inappropriate song at the top of her lungs. Elizabeth had already told her to get back into bed three times.

"Rachel!" She yelled again. "Stop this right now."

"NO!" Rachel screamed. Elizabeth sighed. Despite the fact that she was an adult and a rational human being who knew that she was the newest person in Rachel's life and the little girl was testing her; it didn't make her want to throttle Rachel any less. Ever since she had hung up with Emily she had been running wild. Refusing to do her homework, refusing to turn off the tv, refusing to come out of her fort, refusing to eat the dinner Elizabeth had called for, refusing to take a bath, refusing to do anything Elizabeth asked. It was infuriating.

The phone rang and Elizabeth answered it with a sigh. "Hello?"

"Elizabeth? Its JJ, is Rach still up?"

"Yes. Despite being tucked in three different times. She hasn't been behaving very well."

"I'm sorry." JJ said tiredly. "May I speak with her?"

"Hold on, I'll get her." Elizabeth walked down the hall to Rachel's bedroom and knocked. Rachel was still jumping up and down, but seemed to have finished her song. "Rachel, your mother is on the phone." She said holding it out.

Rachel grinned and jumped off of the bed. Running over to Elizabeth, she took the phone, gently pushed her grandmother out of the room and closed the door in her face. "Hello?" She said moving back to her bed.

"I hear you're not behaving."

"MOMMA!" Rachel cheered. "I am too! Well...kinda."

"When you are done talking to me, you are going to apologize to your grandmother, go straight to sleep and behave the rest of this case or you will be grounded. Do you understand me?"

Rachel frowned and kicked her bed. "Yes." She muttered through clenched teeth.

"Good girl. How was school?"

"Fine."

"What did you learn?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing! Well, we're wasting our money then aren't we?" JJ joked. Rachel laughed and flopped down on the bed.

"Well, did you know that elephants are the only animal that can't jump?"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Rachel said excitedly. "Isn't that cool?"

"Very."

"Momma, when are you coming home?"

"Monkey, we only just left today. Hopefully we'll be home in a few days, in the meantime, you need to listen to Elizabeth."

"Fine."

"Goodnight baby, I love you." JJ caught Emily stepping out of the bathroom and held the phone up, Emily yelled 'goodnight' as well and the blonde smiled.

"Night Momma." Rachel hung the phone up, upset and annoyed. She huffed and stood up, opening her door and finding Elizabeth standing in the hallway. "I'm sorry I was rude." She grumbled as she held up the phone to her.

"Thank you for apologizing." Elizabeth accepted the phone. "Now, off to bed."

Rachel stalked down the hall and climbed into her bed. She pulled the covers over her head. Something about being under them that way made her feel more secure, safe somehow. Rachel was angry. She stuck her hand out from under the covers and snatched her walkie-talkie. "Jack? Are you there? Come in. over." She whispered into it.