Rebecca's brother-in-laws misjudged (ishigreensa)

[robehouse]

"We're good." Erica said.

"Am I sleeping in here with Erica?" Lacey wondered.

 

[Ishigreensa]

"Does that bother you?" he asked Lacey.  "I'm sorry, but this is sort of last minute.  I only have the three beds.  Your mom has one, I have one, and you and your sister have one."

He pulled Lacey into his lap.

[robehouse]

"No it doesn't bother me. I just wanted to make sure. We've always shared a bedroom." Lacey said.

Lacey let Scott lift her up on his lap.

Rebecca took her time in the shower, enjoying the warm water and making sure she was clean.

[Ishigreensa]

"Good," Scott said.  "Maybe a little later, I can afford to put another bed in here for you girls so you don't have to share beds, but for now, this is all I have."

He patted Lacey's back.

"You two should get some sleep soon," he told them.  "You've had a long day, and tomorrow, we're going to have another long one.  I think I even have to take the day off work so I can get you kids settled in at your new schools."

[robehouse]

"Yes sir." Lacey said, with Erica nodding.

Rebecca finally turned off the shower and stepped out of the tub. She started drying off with a towel.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott went and took out a book, but on the inside cover, were cassette tapes.  He went to the stand next to the bed, and he loaded the tape in.

"The story  of Mulan," a soft rhythm fluid voice of a woman began to read.

He put Lacey into the blankets and then looked over at Erica.

"No sounds from the room except that story, okay?" he told them.  "If you whisper," he hinted at them.  "I won't hear, but if you laugh loudly or if you start talking louder, I will come in, turn off the story, and scold you both for not doing as I asked.  It is bedtime, girls."

He then kissed Lacey on the cheek and then walked over and held Erica's head in his left hand.

"Are you too old for good night kisses?" he asked her.

[robehouse]

Lacey let Scott cover her with blankets. Erica got in bed next to her.

They laid quietly next to each other listening to the story and to Scott.

They nodded at him about not being loud.

"No sir." Erica answered.

Rebecca wrapped a towel around her and left the bathroom.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott kissed Erica good night, and then he left their door open a crack with the hall light on, just in case the girls were scared of the dark, and he walked back towards the bathroom to check on Rebecca, when he found her in the hall with a towel wrapped around her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.  "You're room is over there.  You should have your clothes in bags at the foot of your bed, and after you are dressed, we can talk down stairs for a while.  Your kids are trying to fall asleep to a cassette story I have.  I have a few children's stories since I sometimes watch my friends' children they need it."

[robehouse]

Erica and Lacey listened to the story until they fell asleep.

"Okay, thank you. I was just coming to find you to see which room was mine." Rebecca said.

Rebecca went in her room and looked in the bags. She got dressed and came downstairs.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott was already sitting in the living room with some soda poured for both of them.

"Okay, well, first thing is first, Rebecca.  Your house was kind of a mess when I went to get you and the girls.  I'm not trying to scold you or anything, but there is no way anyone would hire you if you didn't do a better job than that at work.  So..., what I'm thinking is...."

He became quiet for a minute so she had time to understand what he said, and could vent on him if she needed.  He needed her to get her venting out before he told her what he thought might be good for her for now.  He didn't need her money, so he didn't care if she earned any money at the moment.

[robehouse]

Rebecca sat down. She listened to him and frowned. 

"I know I wasn't the best housekeeper, especially after Jake died. I just let things go. And I don't know if I could work anywhere. I dropped out of school at seventeen when I became pregnant with Erica." Rebecca said.

[Ishigreensa]

He nodded.

"Well, that does complicate your ability in taking care of yourself.  While you could eventually get a part time job, there is no way you could support two kids on what they would pay you."

He smiled.

"But you are my little sister.  I will take care of you and your children, if you but try to do a little bit here at the house to make it livable.  I'll send you to school or something to improve your cooking, and I'll show you and the kids what I want when you clean on Saturdays.  Is that okay with you?"

He cleared his throat.

"And I'll need to check on you and the girls until you show me you can get to the bathroom on your own and not constantly use your pants like a toilet, okay?"

[robehouse]

Rebecca listened to Scott and nodded, agreeing with him.

"That sounds great. It's more than I could ask for." Rebecca  said.

"Yes sir." Rebecca said, blushing.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott smiled.

"Well, then, I think that is settled then, unless you have questions or something you disagree, with?"

He looked at her for a second, and then smiled to try to encourage her that he wasn't going to bite her head off.

"I mean it.  You can tell me if you don't like something.  If I feel strongly, I'll tell you what I want anyway, but you won't be yelled at if you ask about something or if you want to tell me you don't like something.  All I ask, is if you have no good reason to disagree with me, then in the end, my house, my rules, okay?"

[robehouse]

Rebecca shook her head.

"I can't think of anything." She answered.

"Yes, that's okay." Rebecca agreed.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott smiled and nodded.

"Okay.  Well, I have another question for you, and because these are your daughters, I feel it is only right that you agree before I assume any responsibility for their upbringing."

He sighed and put a hand on her lap.

"You have been suffering a bit from depression and you've not been the best role model, you know?  I am thinking I should take an active role in their discipline until you are more up to doing the job yourself."

He smiled at her.

"Of course, if you disagree, we can work something else out if you think it's inappropriate for me to be in charge of discipline."

[robehouse]

Rebecca nodded.

"I'm okay with that. It would help me quite a bit." Rebecca answered.

[Ishigreensa]

"Very well," Scott smiled.  "How about you get some sleep, then?  I think you are quite tired."

He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come, sis.  Let's get you some sleep."

He patted her back.

[robehouse]

Amanda nodded and stood up. She headed upstairs.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott walked Rebecca up to her room, waited for her to sit on her bed to get ready, and then he closed the door, partway, and made his way to the girls' room to check on them.

He smiled at them.

Then he went to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed himself.

[robehouse]

Rebecca got ready and got into bed.

Erica and Lacey were almost asleep when Scott checked in on them. They smiled back at him.

[Ishigreensa]

Scott finished his shower rather quickly, went to sleep, and then was up the next morning before five.

He went to the kitchen and started to look for stuff to make Oatmeal for breakfast.

While he was cooking, he assumed the others were asleep and decided to let them sleep until he was done with breakfast.

[robehouse]

Erica and Lacey were still asleep. Rebecca had heard Scott get up. She got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

[Ishigreensa]

While Scott was getting stuff ready for breakfast, he thought he heard someone walking around because his floors creaked sometimes, so he went back to the hall and looked in, first on the girls, and then he saw Rebecca at the bathroom door.

"You okay?" he asked her.

He looked down at her bottoms to see if she was making it or not.

[robehouse]

"Yes, I'm fine. I just woke up and needed the bathroom." Rebecca said.