Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 17 - The Right Person?

Chapter 17

It’s hard being an only girl in household full of male testosterone-crazy boys. I should know. Because I’m that girl.

“Hailey, I picked up your washing for you. Mum said she’ll iron your stuff if you just leave them on her bed.” Wes says dumping my clothes on my bed. I’m on the ground doing some last minute fixing up on the hem of the new dress I’m making.

“Thanks Wes.” I say absentmindedly taking the last few pins out of my mouth and pinning the last part of the hem up. I turn around and smile at him feeling happy that I got most of it done before we had to go to school. It doesn’t last long.

He holds up a bunch of my more-colourful bras, “Can I borrow these though?”    

I lunge for them as he runs out of my room, “WESTERN MCLANE! YOU COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!” I shout after him as we run down the corridor like Wile E. and the Road runner.

“I want to play batman though!” he says teasingly strapping my watermelon bra onto his head while trampling down the stairs.

“YOU ARE SUCH A TOOL!” I scream after him as he straps more around his neck, arms and chest. It’s a wonder they don’t snap.

We run into the kitchen where the boys are still eating their breakfast.

“Whooo! Go Wes!” Jake shouts after him.

I whack him over the head as I sprint past him and out the door. “WESTERN! GET BACK HERE!”

Sam runs out the door in his pj’s but a grinning Dylan grabs him by the collar stopping him from following us, “I want to play batman too!” the 4 year old whines.

Wes vaults over the pool gate and starts to run for door to the outside pool shower which is in turn connected to another door that leads down the side of the house and out onto the street. The street. Crap.

I lose time fiddling with the child lock on the gate, “PLEASE WES! DON’T DO IT!” I start to beg. The door swings open and I race on in trying to catch up with him. Just as I’m running around the corner of the pool I slip and fall… right into the pool.

The water hits me like a bucket of… well, ice cold water. I gasp in surprise, chlorine contaminated liquid filling my mouth. I thrash under water trying to figure out which way is up. I finally struggle to the surface, spluttering and gasping for air.

Strong arms pull me out of the pool.

“Hale, you ok?” I cough a couple of times before making my body go limp in Wes’s arms. “Crap. She’s unconscious. Crap. Do I give her CPR? Shit, what the hell do I do? Mom! Mom! Come out quick!”

I should win an Oscar for this dramatic performance.

I hear one of the windows slide open and soon Claire’s sleepy voice can be heard, “Wes? What in the world are you wearin – OH MY GOD! HAILEY!”

I take this as my chance to act while the Wes’s distracted and I suddenly leap up grabbing his hair. “You sick bastard!” I scream.

He falls back in surprise, bringing me down on top of him. I grab at my bras as he struggles to get away from my killer nails.

Yep. That’s the scene Claire and John find on a Friday morning just before everyone’s supposed to be leaving for school.

A wild, sleep deprived girl who’s soaking wet bashing up their 4th oldest child who seems to get kicks out of stealing her bras.