After they all spent the day at the theme park, Lacy, Alana, and Madison got permission to spend the night at Katie’s house. They were going to have a sleepover. Lacy never had a sleepover with girls before. It was a new experience for her. While they were having a girls’ sleepover, Max was throwing his own sleepover with Craig, Bryan, Robert, and Ronnie. Max thought it sounded like fun. For some reason.
Robert and Ronnie were sitting on the sofa with Craig. Max and Bryan were sitting on the floor as they were watching TV. “My grandpa is at work.”
“What about your parents? Don’t you all live together now in this new home?” Bryan asked his friend Max. He nods.
“My little sister and brother lives with us too. My mom is out shopping I think and took my younger siblings with her. Dad is at work.” Max responds. It was true. His family just recently got into the house together. The house was nice and big. Not everything was unpacked, but almost. The house was a two story house, but also had a basement. On the first floor had the living room, kitchen, dining, and a bathroom. In the basement contain the laundry room. On the second floor had four bedrooms. There was also another bathroom on the second floor. The house was beautiful and had space.
“I think this house is nice.” Bryan said with a smile. “It looks a lot better than the other.”
“But… I don’t know how long we will be able to live like this.” Max says and looked down.
“Why?” Bryan asked.
“His parents still are having a hard time getting along with Max’s grandpa. It’s complicated even though they’re all living together.” Craig responds.
“I don’t know why I think you really should just live with your parents. Your grandpa should get his own apartment, but living together isn’t bad either. It’s just if your parents don’t really get along with him, that sounds like to me this isn’t going to last.” Robert tells Max.
“I know.” Max answered.
“We can worry about that later. I’m hungry.” Ronnie said. Max got up.
“I’ll get us some snacks and drinks. Craig you can help me.” Max says and left. Craig got up and followed him out of the living room. They all were just watching some random movie that Max put on. Bryan didn’t really understand it. Ronnie thought the movie was okay and was enjoying it.
At Katie’s house, she had a cake and was eating it with all her friends. They were all sitting in Katie’s bedroom. Katie and Madison were sitting on the bed. Alana and Lacy were on the floor. “This cake is delicious!” Madison smiled and took another bite of her cake.
“I had a lot of fun today. It was great to all spend the day together. We all should just be friends.” Alana says. Katie nods.
“I agree!” Katie said. Lacy felt nervous. She wasn’t sure what to talk about with them.
“Lacy, you’re awfully quiet. Are you alright?” Alana asks Lacy.
“I… Well…” Lacy wasn’t sure how to respond.
“It’s okay.” Alana reassures Lacy.
“We aren’t going to bite you.” Madison said to Lacy.
“I don’t think that!” Lacy snaps at Madison.
“Lacy, don’t get mad.” Alana says. Lacy took a deep breath.
“I don’t know. I never really hung out with a lot of girls before.” Lacy said and looks down.
“There’s always a first time for everything! What should we talk about?” Madison asks.
“We can chat about boys!” Katie replied.
“Max may seem like he was a playboy, but he really is nice. He is sweet.” Alana blushes. “When we’re out on dates, he is really a gentlemen!”
“I doubt that.” Lacy says. “He was always known as a flirt.”
“What about Robert and Ronnie? How do they act?” Madison asks. Katie started to remember when she was with Robert.
“He tried to force himself on me. He acted like a jerk. I don’t hate him. I don’t… But… Our relationship wasn’t going to last. I don’t understand why.” Katie thought to herself. “But Craig, he’s different. Our relationship is better than what short amount of time I had with Robert. But that was because he wasn’t’ in love with me. But… He loves Lacy and I know it.”
“Well?” Madison asks looking at Lacy.
“Robert… He sometimes… is different but… He’s cares actually even though he pretends not to.” Lacy answers. “Ronnie is more kind.”
“I don’t understand them both sometimes.” Madison said.
“Even though they are different… I love them. I love them both.” Lacy thinks to herself.
“What about you, Katie? What’s been going on between you and Craig?” Alana asked with a smile on her face.
“Well… We didn’t go far. I don’t think I want to right now.” Katie replied.
“Did you two kiss?” Alana asks. She still was smiling. Madison smiled too.
“Yeah, did you kiss?”
“We… We did kiss. But that’s mostly it and hold hands.” Katie blushes as she answered nervously.
“Love is so great.” Alana said.
It was now at night. Mostly everyone was in bed. Robert was still up. He was sitting there looking out the window in Max’s bedroom. “I don’t understand why I decided to spend the night. I guess it was okay, but…” Robert took a look at the others. They all were sleeping. Max was sleeping on his bed. Craig and Ronnie were sleeping on the floor with a blanket and pillow. Robert was supposed to sleep on the floor as well but he didn’t go to sleep yet. “I wonder if Lacy is nervous at the sleepover with the girls?”
Lacy couldn’t sleep. Katie was sleeping on her bed. Madison was asleep and same with Alana who slept on the floor. Lacy just couldn’t sleep. She felt weird being there. She knew no one would hurt her, but it felt different being there. She never slept over there before in her life. She never even came over until today. It felt weird to sleep over the first day that she ever came over. Lacy got up and left the bedroom.
“Katie says her parents work all the time and are barely home. I wonder what type of jobs they do?” Lacy thought to herself. It was true. Katie’s parents worked all the time and were barely home. Katie still loved her parents even though they never spend much time with her. There is times when they have the day off but usually they want to rest. Katie’s parents had recently bought her a cell phone in case if she needs to get a hold of them when she isn’t home. Lacy never had a cell phone given to her. She sat down on the sofa.
“Katie’s parents must always be so tired. I wonder why they work so much for just one child.” Lacy wondered. “My dad works more than my mom but… I still get to see the both of them. Maybe I shouldn’t of been harsh on Katie sometimes. If I was… Hell! No! I don’t care!” Lacy shook her head. “I miss Ronnie and Robert, but for right now my parents don’t want me spending the night with them even though I can hang with them during the day.”
The next day had came and everyone had gone back to their own homes. Max was fixing up his bedroom. “I had a good time hanging with my friends.” Max thought to himself. He stopped what he was doing when he heard arguing. “What’s going on?” He thought. He went out of his bedroom. Louie was out by the door.
“Am I allowed back in my bedroom? Why did you have all those guys over last night and made me sleep in Sherry’s bedroom?!” Louie seemed mad at Max.
“Sorry. Who’s yelling?” Max asked Louie.
“I think it’s dad fighting with grandpa.” Louie answered.
“Again?” That’s what kept going on since they all started living together. Max’s parents fighting with the grandpa. Max couldn’t understand it. Louie didn’t understand it as well. Sherry seemed to get scared if she heard them all fighting. “I hope Sherry doesn’t get frighten by the yelling.”
“She might.” Louie went into the bedroom. Davina was upset. She knew her husband and his father was fighting.
“This is all my fault.” Davina thought. She felt depressed knowing that they were fighting. “Harlan wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t because of me. I had to go and get pregnant so very young. But I… I really love Harlan. I wished that Harlan’s father could see that.” Max went to his mother.
“Dad and grandpa are fighting again aren’t they?” Max asked. She nods slowly.
“I don’t know what to do. I want to be with your father. We have three wonderful children together. You, Louie, and Sherry. I am happy to have all three of you, but I am sad that your grandpa doesn’t accept me into the family. I am married to your father but he still treats me this way. I thought everything will get better and we will be fine. I thought he finally accepted me. But I was wrong.”
“Mom, I really like you. I wished I knew you and dad growing up but my grandpa had to separate me from you two. I wished you didn’t give me to him, but you had no choice.” Max says to his mother.
“My parents don’t even talk to me anymore and still hate my guts. My older sister doesn’t hate me and started to speak to me. She apologized for everything that went on and help us get this house. But… why can’t my parents or your grandpa accept me?” Davina asks. She felt depressed about the whole thing.
Max felt bad for his mother and father. His grandpa was fighting with them yet again after he made a promise to not to do it anymore. It was hard for them. They just moved into a nice house, and now the grandpa wants to start again. It seems like he didn’t really want to move in with his son and daughter in law.
Max went to his bedroom and sat down. “Mom is upset because dad and grandpa are arguing.” Max tells Louie.
“I don’t think anything is going to change until grandpa leaves. He shouldn’t even be living here.” Louie said and looks at Max.
“Huh?” Max was confused.
“Don’t you get it? Grandpa is full of hate. He hates mom and it never will work. But mom wants to be with dad and she has every right to be. I think grandpa really is a jerk and should go.”
“Maybe…Maybe you’re right. I never thought mean of my grandpa until I found out the truth of him. How he told me a lie that my parents were dead just so I wouldn’t ask where they were. Or if I can see them. He shouldn’t have done that.” Max looks down.
“Grandpa is a wicked man. He is angry all because he lost grandma. He should just give up. The past is the past.” Louie was telling the truth, Max thought. Louie was young but seemed to know things. “I am thinking of asking mom and dad if I can go to summer camp so I can get away from the fights for a bit.”
“Maybe Alana and I should volunteer for the camp to watch you kids.” Max laughs. “Are we old enough to do that though…?” Max asks himself.