Baker Family

Mickey's plea

"I know." Ricky said with sympathy in his voice. "But believe me it can be done." I have managed to do it for the past four years he thought. "It's really not that hard."

Mickey looked back at the house and said "I am going to miss talking to Scarlet."

Sadness filled Ricky's eyes as he said "Me too."

Dawson thought me too.

"I think she was going to choose me." Mickey said.

"Excuse me." Ricky said with a look amusement in his eyes.

"I think she was going to choose me to be her boyfriend."

"She was not." Ricky said incredulously. "If she was going to choose anyone at this table it was going to be me."

"And why is that." Mickey said in annoyance.

"Because I am the better looking one."

"We're identical twins." Mickey said. "We look exactly alike." Mickey then said "Besides she really liked my sense of humor so I know she would have chosen me to be her boyfriend."

Dawson then spoken up. "You know she could have chosen me."

The two then looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Come on Dawson be serious." Mickey said.

"I am being serious." Dawson said with a hurt look across his face. "She could have easily chosen me."

"Come on Dawson there is no way that a fourteen year old girl would choose to date a thirteen year old boy." Mickey said.

"I hate to say it but Mickey is right." Ricky said. "Girls like older boys."

"Yeah she wants to date a man." Mickey said.

Dawson then smirked "You are dumber than I thought if you think you are man."

Ricky saw Mickey's hand form into a fist. 

"Mickey don't."

Mickey looked at his brother whose eyes pleaded with him not to do it. His fist clenched and unclenched several times as he decided what he want to do. He really wanted to punch Dawson for the remark but did not want to get into anymore trouble with his dad.

"Don't." Ricky said in a pleading tone. He did not want to see Mickey get any more trouble today.

He looked at Dawson who had a nervous expression across his face. The urge to hit him was strong but he pushed it away as he sighed. "Fine."

"Dawson you need to apologize." Ricky said.

"I'm sorry I called you dumb."

"Apology accepted." Mickey said as he shot him a dirty look.

Lori came out with the food a few seconds later and saw the tension in the boy's eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes mom." Ricky said. "Everything is fine."

A skeptical look crossed her face as she said "Okay." Lori back into the kitchen where Pete was eating his grilled cheese. She grabbed a plate and put two sandwiches on it before sitting down to join her husband. "I am going to need to go shopping for the party and I want to take one of the boys."

Pete shrugged as he took a drink of his soda. "Take Ricky and Dawson." He thought how he would take Mickey on his errands.

"Wow you are loaning me two of the boys today." She said with a small smile. "I feel blessed."

"I'm in a generous mood." Pete said jokingly.

"You must be." Even though Pete claimed not to believe in the concept of women's work he seemed to have no problem in prioritizing yard work and work on the cars as more important than housework. Too often she had asked him to have the boy's help her with cleaning around the house and she was told they were busy helping him. Or he would only have one of the boys help when she could have used all three. She could not help but think that is partly the reason behind Mickey's attitude towards laundry and doing the dishes.

"Besides most of what I needed them to do today is done." Pete said. "They can focus on helping you get the house clean for the rest of the day."

"Thank you." She then thought that a lot of the housework had already been done. Mickey had cleaned the breakfast dishes and did the laundry for her while she had finished the vacuuming and cleaned two of the three bathrooms. There was still the boy's bathroom that needed to be clean and the kitchen needed to be mopped.

The door then opened and the three boys quickly walked in carrying their food and drinks. A concerned look crossed Lori's face as she asked "What's wrong?"

"Mister Benford is on his back porch cleaning his gun and staring at us." Ricky said with a bit of fear in his eyes.

The boys put their plates on the table and sat down.

Lori's face twisted in anger as she said "That maniac." She then looked at her husband and said "I can't don't know if I can take this anymore Pete, we can't allow that man to continue to torment our sons."

"I know and my brother is coming later this afternoon and he is going to put a stop to it." At least he hoped that he will. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"No." The three boys said loudly.

"Dad don't go out there he will shoot you." Ricky said.

"He's not going to shoot me." Pete said.

"That's what people always say before they get shot." Dawson said as his voice filled with fear. He then looked at his mom. "Please don't let him go out there."

Lori's face was filled concerned as she said "Perhaps it would be best if you stay in here Pete. We don't want to antagonize him." The image of Benson gunning down her husband went through her mind.

Pete let out a sigh as he said "Okay I won't go out there." He then pulled out his cell phone and texted his brother about the situation. A few seconds later his brother replied telling him not to confront him. He assured him that he would be there in a couple of hours to take Dawson's statement and he would deal with him. "Okay boys finish your meals."

He then told Ricky and Dawson that they were going grocery shopping with their mom while Mickey was going to the hardware store with him. He had expected some kind of protest from the boys but they seemed to accept it which he was glad for because he really wanted to go the rest of the day without having to punish his boys.