1. GEORGE HAS A PERFECTLY WRETCHED TIME

Chapter 3 - ROLAND COMES TO STAY

The next morning George and Julian stood before their parents in the lounge room. It was a Saturday and there was no school today 

''Fighting like that is totally unacceptable as you well know'' Quentin told them ''even worse in front of you poor sister like that, you saw how distressed she was by it. Your mother and I had a long talk about it last night and we've decided that the punishment should be severe to teach you both a lesson. So from this second onwards you're both grounded for 1 month''

The pair of them bowed their heads and grimaced in dismay ''A month?!'' Julian exclaimed ''A month really? Ah, please dad you're kidding us. Please a month is so long, I swear we've learned our lesson and we won't fight again right George?''

''Yeah right, Julian is right dad we don't need to be grounded for a month, we have learned our lesson and we are so sorry and we will not fight anymore''

''I'm sorry but the decision has been made'' Fanny told them ''you're both grounded for a month and it's final. I just hope you really have learned your lesson but you can spend the next month having a long hard think about your behavior and how you treat each other. I'm sick and tired of you two being at each other's throats and Georgina I am sick of you arguing with Anne all the time too. You need to start getting on better with each other, really the only one who behaves and doesn't fight seems to be Dick''

''Dick is boring anyway, he never does a lot. It's Ju and I who have the best personality'' boasted George

Later that day Julian and George were both in their bedrooms, feeling very sorry for themselves about being grounded for a month. Julian was sitting on his bed with his legs crossed looking angrily at the huge G-shock digital watch on his wrist and thinking how much being grounded for a month was going to suck. The most he had been grounded for before now was two weeks and that felt bad enough, a month would feel like an eternity, he was sure of that. He was a sporty outdoor boy, not one to sit in his room all the time looking at Facebook or playing on a PlayStation. He liked to be outdoors exploring and doing things. A month trapped inside, only allowed out to school, was going to be horrible and it was all George's fault

He banged angrily on the wall knowing that his sister...brother... whatever, he still couldn't quite decide if George was still a girl or a boy now....was in the next room ''THANKS A LOT GEORGINA'' He cried out angrily, he said Georgina on purpose knowing it would wind George up ''ONE WHOLE MONTH OF THIS THANKS TO YOU''

''OH GET STUFFED'' George called back furiously ''YOU'RE AS MUCH TO BLAME AS I AM, I WON'T TAKE ALL THE BLAME FOR YOU. BUT ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT AS MUCH AS I'LL HATE BEING GROUNDED I'LL BE HAPPY KNOWING YOU'RE STUCK IN THE NEXT ROOM SUFFERING THE SAME PUNISHMENT AS ME!

''YOU CHEEKY LITTLE BITCH, I'LL COME IN AND FIGHT YOU AGAIN!''

''SHUT UP YOU TWO'' Quentin called up from downstairs ''IF YOU KEEP CALLING OUT TO EACH OTHER YOU'LL BE GROUNDED FOR 2 MONTHS INSTEAD OF ONE''

The two of them shut up at once and were terrified ''Ah please dad, not two months, we'll shut up I swear'' Julian said

George sat on his bed and could hear Julian cursing to himself through the wall, being grounded was really bothering him. It didn't bother George that much, sure it was a bit boring but George could spend more time with her best friend and that's all that mattered. Timmy, George's beloved dog, sat on the end of the bed and licked her hand

Later that evening Quentin and Fanny's friend Roland arrived to stay.  George and Julian were still in their bedrooms, Anne was watching television downstairs and Dick was out with his friends when Roland arrived. Roland came in complaining that he was tired after a long drive to get there. Quentin and Fanny helped him bring his luggage in and introduced him to Anne