Madhouse

Rainy week

Leo's POV

It has been raining for days non-stop and kids are home because of it. I have been working from home, as Ivy can't leave the hospital because it's a flu season. Kids are cranky, I'm on my last bit of patience. Seeing as only 2 of the kids can sit without pain, those being Aditi as she is too small and Ryan because he is a saint. i don't know how I'm related to that kid. Maybe all the bad bones in him were given to Ray in the womb. If i have to deal with her one more time, I will send her to a boarding school. Grhh. I know i won't do that, i love her, all of them. But it looks like i have to chant that throughout my day to keep calm.

I tried to understand their situation, so i was lenient, but maybe that is where I went wrong. Anyways, this morning i had a meeting, so i told them not to disturb as i went into my office. The meeting went long and i forgot about checking in with the kids. But because i wasn't disturbed for so long, i could get a lot of work done, which is a plus as i have been slacking to take care of the kids. As i was going through my mail, i got one from kids school. Well that is never a good sign, Peter and Luke is in trouble. They have been missing many classes for the last 2 days and since it's online class because of rain, they don't have any valid excuse.

Mrs Hutch comes in with my lunch, as i was planning on how to handle them. "Thank you Mrs Hutch. Has the kids been behaving?" "Yes Yes. You don't worry about them" "They making trouble?" I ask pointedly. Mrs Hutch is like a grandmother to the kids, trying to keep them from getting in trouble with me.I respect her and she is like family to us. One too many times she has vouched for them to escape my wrath. "What?, No they are munchkins"she says fondly. "Oh, i know they are anything but that. Anyway i will come downstairs"
"Do you need me to take your food back?" "No that's fine, i will bring it along. Thank you" i say lifting the plates as i close my laptop. "Kids done with lunch? I didn't hear the bell"

Each room has an intercom connected to the kitchen and that's how we call the kids for food, hollering them doesn't work since it's a big mansion. "I just had to get Peter and Luke, others were already downstairs, so i didn't use the bell"she says looking nervous. "That's okay"i reassure thinking it's about the bell.

I go into the living room to see Fiona and Ray playing soccer inside."Hey, are you allowed to play ball inside?" I ask bending to take the ball. "But we were bored and can't go outside"Ray whined. "That's no excuse to play ball inside and break things. Don't you have classes to attend?"i ask raising an eyebrow. "All done, just a small assignment more"Fiona replies. "Finish that and go do something else"giving them both a stern look i walk away with my plate in one hand and ball in the other into the kitchen to reheat my food.

A cook was reading something while I walked in, she came rushing to get my plate asking "shall i heat it up, Mr Smithson?" "Yes please" I saw another ball on the kitchen island and asked her about it. "Oh Mrs Hutch confiscated this ball when the kids were playing inside" "which one's?" "Ray and Fiona"she says innocently. So that's why Mrs Hutch was nervous, thinking it might get them in trouble.

She serves me, and Pia was giving me company as she talked what she learned in class today. I was waiting for her to finish the story, to address the other kids, when Fiona was passing by. "Hey, can you get Ray, i need to talk to you both" i ask her interrupting Pia. "Mmm"she mumbles and turns around, as i go back to Pia. She tells me she finished all her homeworks and even helped her friend. "That's my good girl. I know your smart, sweetie"i praise her. "You called me dad?"Ray asks coming along with Fiona. "Yes. Sit here, both of you" i gestured the opposite side of the dinning table. "Sweetie, can you go play with Aditi for sometime? Don't go outside okay?"i tell Pia. "Ok"she says jumping down, as she was sitting atop the table.

"Have you finished your assignment?" I ask Ray and Fiona once Pia moved away. "It's a 10 page article. We are not robots to finish it in an hour"Ray sassed. "It was a yes or no question, Ray. Keep your attitude in check"i glare "Didn't Fiona say it's a small assignment?" I ask looking at Fiona. She looks between Ray and me, gulping to say "Yes sir" "so this small assignment needs more than 1hour?. How much have you finished?" When they didn't answer, i call out "Fiona" sternly. "I haven't started"she says head down. Nodding i ask "Ray" "same here" "will 2 hours be enough to finish it?"i ask, to which they shrug, making me threaten "Do you need motivation to speak, girls?" "No sir" "no sir" "did Mrs Hutch warn you about playing ball inside?" "Yes " "she took your ball away, and still, you were playing when i came in. Care to explain that?" They keep looking at each other without replying. "If you don't want my belt painting your ass, you will answer my questions quickly and truthfully. Do you understand me?" I sternly say. "yes sir" "yes sir"