“Hey,” I said as soon as I walked into the kitchen. I quickly glanced around to survey the condition of everything and see where I could help.
“Hi, sweetie.”
“We’re not going to have the guy in the kitchen, are we?” I asked. It was pointless to spend much time tidying it up if we’d be in the living room.
“Probably not.”
“Okay, I’m going to straighten up the living room and run the vacuum.” I walked out of the kitchen and stopped in my tracks when Pam spoke.
“The babies are sleeping, Ryder. Don’t run the vacuum.”
I looked at the two babies, each sleeping in their playpens. I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes.Fine.Toys were strewn everywhere, so I raced around collecting them and dropping them in the toy box behind the couch. With an armful of action figures, metal cars, and foam balls, I noticed Kenton standing between the kitchen and living room.
“Pam told me to come help you,” he said.
“Then help.”
Kenton was old enough to see what needed to be done and where he could lend a hand. Thankfully, without any direction from me, he began picking up books and putting them back on the lower shelf of the bookshelf. I ran to the cupboard in the laundry room and grabbed some stuff to dust and clean the coffee table with. When I got back to the living room, Kentonwas putting loose DVDs back in their cases and returning them to the media stand beside the TV.
“So what school is this guy from?” Kenton asked as I knelt by the coffee table.
I took the decorative bowl with wicker balls in it off the table and set it gently on the floor.
“Just some rep from a super small school,” I answered as I sprayed some of the cleaner onto the bare table and wiped the rag over the entire surface.
“I thought you hated small schools.”
“I do, but the guy called, and Pam invited him over.”
“Well, you owe me.”
“What do I owe you for?” I put the bowl back on the coffee table and stood.
“I have to watch Terry and Dillon in our room tonight while the school guy is here.”
I raised my eyebrow at him.
“Seriously, Kenton? Get a grip. Helping someone out won’t kill you.” I took the damp rag to the end tables and quickly dusted over them.
“I’ll let them sit on your bed.”
“Fine.”
“If they barf, they’ll be on your bed.”
“Fine. If they barf, they barf.”
“And they’ll poop on your bed.”
“Fine. Just remember, you share that room with me. So you’ll have to smell the barf and poop.”
Kenton and I stopped our pointless banter and turned to look at the entryway when the front door opened. Carrying his insulated lunch bag, Roger walked through the living room toward the kitchen.
“What time is the guy coming?” Roger asked no one in particular. I didn’t know if he was talking to me or Pam. Ratherthan be accused of being hard of hearing, when Pam hadn’t said anything, I spoke up.
“Seven.”
“Great. My whole night is wrecked.”
