Chapter Twenty

Beverly has been a handful, constantly in motion. She spends a lot of time in Gene's old walker. She learned to walk quickly; although she trips over her feet continuously, so she prefers to be in the walker.

Either that or being held and carried around. Beverly learned quickly that she had her Daddy wrapped around her little finger. Her mom on the hand was a different story. Beverly was apt to fuss more with her than with William. 
 

One afternoon William had gotten her settled in her high chair happily eating her lunch. When William received a phone call he became distracted and failed to supervise Beverly. Noticing that Daddy wasn't paying attention, Beverly started to play with her food instead of eating it. Soon she was covered, the high chair and the floor was a mess. That was when Jessica walked in.

"Beverly Anne, what on earth are you doing? Jessica demanded.

"Playing" Beverly gleefully responded.

"No your supposed to be eating. Not playing." Jessica told her. Turning to William she said "Why weren't you watching her?"

William finished his call and sheepishly turned to Jessica saying "I'm sorry. I guess I got distracted and wasn't watching."

"That's obvious" Jessica retorted as she lifted Beverly from the high chair. "Looks like you get a bath before your nap."

"No, no, no bath" Beverly started to cry an struggle in her mothers arms. "No bath, no! Daddy help!" She appealed to William as she disliked being given a bath.

"Sorry honey, you make the mess you pay the price and I have too." William sighed as he surveyed the mess she made and how he disliked having to clean it. But since he was partially to blame he felt it was only right that he clean it.

"Daddy please!" Beverly pleaded to no avail as Jessica took her off to bathe her. William found it hard to ignore her pleas and whimpers.

Over the weekend Gene and Casey were trying to decide what to do. They had grown tired of watching cartoons.

"Let's go outside and see how many gnomes we can kick over" Gene suggested.

"Naw, that's no fun. Besides we might break one of them."

"Who cares? It's something to do" Gene insisted.

"You can if you want to. I'll find something else to do."

Gene went outside intent on kicking some gnomes when he started to imagine how they would seek revenge on him and tie him up like Gulliver in that book his Dad read him. He was suddenly not so intent on wanting to kick any gnomes. He was becoming increasingly frustrated at not finding anything fun to do.

So he went back inside to see if Casey found anything exciting to do. He found Casey happily painting another useless picture.

"Casey come outside and play with me"

Casey stopped painting for a moment to look at Gene and say "What all done kicking gnomes?"

"Yeah it was stupid" Gene said matter of factly "I'm bored."

"There's another easel" Casey motioned towards the other easel "You can learn to paint."

"I'm not in the mood to paint. Come outside" Gene insisted.

"And do what?" Casey asked

Gene shrugged his shoulders saying "I dunno, we'll think of something."

Sighing loudly in annoyance, Casey put his painting supplies away. "Ok you win."

As soon as they were outside Gene went to where he had stashed his supply of water balloons and started throwing them at Casey.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Casey exclaimed as the first balloon hit him in the face.

"I said we'd think of something. Well I just did. We're having a water balloon fight."

"You coulda told me"

"Yeah but I'd a missed the look on your face!" Gene said laughing so hard he had to hold his stomach.

Sunday night there was the usual mad rush to finish homework before school the next day. Everyone was either trying to eat or do homework crowded around the small kitchen table. Jessica just couldn't understand why they insisted on waiting until Sunday night to do their homework. Why couldn't they just listen to her, when she suggested they do on Friday, then they wouldn't have to worry about all weekend. Watching the Sunday night chaos, Jessica envied William who had an excuse not to be here as he was cooking at the restaurant on Sunday nights.

Sydney finished first and was getting ready for bed. Her mom asked her to occupy Beverly while she helped everyone else finish there homework. Sydney found her gleefully messing up the boys bedroom.

"Bev you know you're not supposed to be in here."

"Why" Beverly asked innocently.

"Because this is the boys room and your making a mess."

Beverly just giggled and went on about her business.

Sydney shrugged, thinking why should she care if she destroys their stuff and at least it's not hers. But she knew they boys would complain and only make Beverly cry. She wasn't sure why, but she had a soft spot for her youngest sister, hopefully the last little annoyance her parents would foist upon her. "Bev are you hungry?" Sydney asked hoping this might distract her.

Beverly stopped what she was doing to look at Sydney and nod.

So Sydney went out to the kitchen to get a bottle. Coming back to the boys room she held out the bottle towards Beverly to see if she could get her to follow her out of the room. Eventually she was able to lure Beverly out and gave her the bottle before she started to fuss.

Sydney was so excited when she came home from school one day to find that her parents had planned a surprise birthday party for her. She knew exactly what she was going to wish for, her own room. She's been good and hadn't brought the subject up with her dad in months and months, it felt like forever.

Everyone gathered around to watch her blow out her candles. Jessica was excited that Sydney was finally becoming a teenager and hoped she would be of help around the house. William was a little sad as he watched his little princess grow up into a beautiful young lady. He disliked the idea of her growing up and not needing him anymore.

Sydney was excited at the prospect of going to the salon after everyone enjoyed eating her birthday cake. She wished more of her friends would have shown up for her party but she wasn't going to let it dampen her excitement as becoming a teenager. She was going to get a job, learn to drive, go to prom and have her own room, just not all in that order. She still had to wait for Beverly to quit sleeping in her crib but her birthday was coming up soon.

Sydney loved her new look and couldn't wait to see what her friends thought of it. She wondered if Jonas Ingberg would regret being so mean to her now. She hoped so.