Habits

Glomtales!

TW for Trauma, Abandonment Issues, Control Issues, Mommy Issues, Stabbing (Kinda?), Sexual Harrassment, etc! Read at your own risk, and please stay safe.

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It took a bit, but the mansion was actually cleaned up within the night, and after a fairly good sleep and careful avoidance of the other adults in the house, the morning arrived much faster than I had expected. Which would not have been so bad if I didn't have to make a trip.

See, I have to go on my first business for the next two days. Being the manager and having spoken the most languages (courtesy of moving around so much and living with Uncle Scrooge), at the café, Bianca, the owner, decided to send me to Cape Suzette to negotiate the prospects of selling some of our products there in locally owned grocery stores. I have to meet with five other store owners, but if negotiations go well, this could actually be very big for Bianca. And yes, I did say manager! I got promoted! I've been so busy with everything that I haven't been able to properly process it. Though, I suppose I could say that about a lot of things.

I was confident and heading out from the garage to catch the bus when Uncle Scrooge stepped in front of me.

"Now, lass," He began, but I cut him off.

"I really need to be heading," I met his eyes and noticed the jeep all packed and the kids standing around with their bags, "...out."

I noticed Mom near the steps, scolding Louie, who sulked back upstairs into the boys' room.

"You're leaving on an adventure? After everything that just happened?" I asked, incredulously.

"Well, I- "But I cut him off again, seeing the knapsacks, cans of beans and everyone's carefree attitude.

"And you're leaving Louie, nonetheless, while you all go off to Big Rock Candy Mountain, the on adventure he wants to go on?!"

"If you would just- "

I sighed, pulling out my phone. "Maybe I should just stay home, I- "

"No!" He interrupted, taking my phone from my grasp.

I glared at him, and he faltered a bit, but hardened his stare.

"Louie will be fine, Duckworth will be with him if he needs anything, and we'll only be gone for 2 days," He attempted to say in a soothing way. It didn't work.

"Yeah, okay, no offense, but that's bull. You cannot just leave an 11-year-old boy home by himself for two days, especially not while excluding him from the one thing he wants to do! Forget him "not earning it," if all of you are going, there's no point in leaving him here!"

"You know I have no say!" He shot me down, before lowering his voice. "Louie is not my child, and we all need to step back and let your mother take the reins."

I groaned, running a hand over my face, before realizing that I messed up my makeup in the process. I'll just have to fix it when I switch to the train. I need to be presentable. I need to be calm. I need to be composed. I need to be a confident businesswoman. I took a deep breath in and exhaled.

"I will be in Cape Suzette for two days," I held up two fingers. "Chances are I will be back at sundown of the second day. Talk to Mom. I'm serious."

"Marina- "

"How much longer are you going to allow this to go on?" I asked, "There is a line. She crossed that line, so as her Uncle and father figure, you need to step in and be the grandparent for a bit, talk about how she was when she was younger, and soften the blow a bit. She's still new to this whole parenting thing and if she does something out of line, you need to call her out on it!"