[Author's Note: This is a loose collaboration of sorts. The original idea for this story came from
BelleCanzuto
and the plot came from
Lexx Ruthless
. Please check out their profiles to give them the credit they deserve.]
Peace... at last.
Finding solitude in a family of seven is practically impossible. There's always someone yelling, screaming, crying, running, shouting, or just plain being a nuisance. There's no time to think without someone getting in your face and wanting
something
from you.
Today, though, today was one of those glorious days Tommy Drew had to himself. He could barely believe his luck when Mrs. Drew told him that she needed to run errands and would be taking
all
of his siblings with her. Normally he'd be stuck on babysitting duty, but little Michael and Sarah both needed haircuts and the obnoxious twins wanted to go hang out with their other pre-teen bratty friends. Of course, the infant went wherever Mrs. Drew went, so that left him alone.
Finally.
The silence in the house was deafening. Day-to-day life in the Drew household was nothing short of pure chaos. Toys and clutter were strewn about every room like the aftermath of a tornado. His father had said that with all that Tommy's mother had to put up with, she had the patience of Job.
His mother? What about
him
? As the eldest, it was his "duty" to help manage his younger siblings. It was a thankless task, and an impossible one. He had no real authority and everyone knew it. It just meant that he got all the blame for everything someone else did. Worse, his parents wouldn't back him up when he needed it the most.
Even so, he was a good guy at heart. Even with the free time on his hands, he didn't think of himself first. He thought about doing something nice; perhaps an unexpected surprise for his mother for when she returned. He could clean up the wreck of the house. That would make her happy.
However, the sight of the toys spread all over the floor just brought back up memories from the previous day's catastrophe. His charitable feelings faded as he recalled the disastrous events. Mrs. Drew had told him to help her clean up, but little did he know that Rachel and Rebecca had followed around behind him taking things that he had put away and putting them back on the floor the instant his back was turned.
"Tommy!" his mother had cried when she came into the room. "I thought I told you to help me clean this place up!"
Tommy looked around, shocked that the room looked worse than it had before he started. He saw the twins peeking around the corner and cover their mouths in fits of giggles.
"I did!" he protested, glowering. The girls escaped, unnoticed by their mother.
His mother tutted, the infant propped up on her hip. "I have eyes, Thomas," she said.
"I-" he started, and then she just closed her eyes and cut him off.
"Just... get this done before your father gets home," she said, and then left the room.
Tommy was livid. It wasn't even his stuff. He had dutifully helped his mother because unlike the twins, he actually believed in "honor thy mother and father." It just wasn't fair. No good deed goes unpunished, indeed.
He began swiping the toys up with a little extra vigor and anger. It didn't make him feel any better, but if he didn't vent somehow then he would probably wind up throwing something - likely at one of the twins. He felt a cathartic pleasure imagining shoving Sarah's toy unicorn horn down Rachel's throat. Rachel, Rebecca, it didn't matter. They looked the same. It gave him a brief moment of satisfaction.
Thou shalt not kill
, indeed, but
an eye for an eye
should still be on the table. He'd never do anything violent, of course. It wasn't in his nature. But fantasizing about teaching those brats a lesson did give him some minor gratification.
When his father got home, Tommy dreaded the routine. It was as regular as clockwork, which was exactly the reason why the twins got away with everything. It was the routine. Sure enough, he asked how everyone's day went at supper immediately after saying grace. Immediately it went downhill from there.
"It was fine," Mrs. Drew said, trying to get a spoonful into the baby's mouth. "Though I would have appreciated a little more cooperation from Thomas."
Tommy paused the fork halfway to his mouth. He felt the anger flush. "I
did
help," he said, incredulous.
"It's true," she said sarcastically, looking at his father. "After the
third
time I asked."
Tommy seethed. He
had
been helping, and his mother only had to ask him twice, not three times. And
that
was because of what the twins had done. All that work - twice - and now he was getting
blamed
for it.
"We helped without even being asked!" Rachel offered, unsolicited. Rebecca nodded vigorously in agreement.
His father beamed at them. "I bet you did," he said.
Tommy set his jaw. How could he not know they were manipulating him? As soon as his father looked away to take a bite, both girls whipped their heads towards Tommy and stuck their tongues out. As if it were choreographed, both returned to their looks of innocence just as their father looked back in their direction.
"With that kind of help, who needs enemas?" Tommy quipped beneath his breath.
Apparently it wasn't the
sotto voce
he had intended. Both his parents froze and looked at him, wide eyed.
"What did you say?" his father growled through gritted teeth.
Tommy ignored the dangerous warning. He threw his fork onto his place, frustrated. "It's not
my
fault you raised complete brats!" he shouted.
At that his father stood up so quickly his chair shot backwards. If it was one thing he would not tolerate, it was insolence. The table fell silent. The twins' mouths were open in excited bloodlust.
"Ooooh, you're gonna