When The Lights Go Down

YOUR Sister

(Dad) What do you win exactly

(Nick) *startled* GEESH what are you doing up?

(Mom) well, its kind of hard to sleep with the four of you running and screaming through the house

(Joe) great goin Nick, we didn’t even get to shake presents *fake upset*

(Nick) oh whatever we stink at guessing anyway….what's important is…I WON

(Dad) Again, what did you win?

(Bailey) first one downstairs got to open that big gift addressed to all of us

(Dad) ah, I see, too bad that one gets opened last *smiles*

(Joe) WAAH WAAH (game show loser sound)

*B walks over to the couch and sits down staring at the Christmas tree*

*Joe walks over and plops on the couch beside her*

(Joe) What's wrong Monkey?

*B shrugs*

(Bailey) Nothin

(Joe) Now I know that’s a lie, ‘cause I didn’t wake up this morning to a twin bouncing on my bed….what's up?

(Bailey)*shrugs* not digging Christmas this year

(Joe) what? That’s absurd, this is your favorite day of the entire year

(Bailey) used to be

(Joe) wha....Nick….what's wrong with your sister?

(Nick) MY sister? *chuckles* 

(Joe) Yea shes mine when shes cool and happy, shes yours when she is a pain or grumpy…

*B shoves Joe’s knee with her own as a “shut up” gesture*

(Mom) what do you have to be grumpy about…you just got up..

(Bailey)I'm not grumpy! I'm just not five anymore and super excited to be awake…ugh…I gotta pee *gets up and runs upstairs*

(Mom) Nicholas

(Nick) what? What did I do?

(Mom) What is wrong with your sister?

(Nick) again with the “my sister” thing…

(Mom) well, you are the one she talks to about everything….so what's wrong

(Nick) she is bumming about us leaving in a week

(Mom) oh…well let’s get to opening presents so we can make breakfast. Why don’t you boys start separating gifts into piles for each of you while we wait for B.

*Boys start rifling through the gifts putting them into separate piles according to who they are for…Joe stops to shake each one and tries to guess what was inside*

(Joe) *shaking a small box of Kevin's* ummmm….GUITAR…..*shaking a medium size box of Nicks* ummm…..SOCKS *smiles*

(Kevin) yea….you really have no skills when it comes to guessing…

*Joe shrugs*

(Nick) *picks up a small box for him and shakes* SOCKS

(Joe) I just said that!

(Nick) yea 'cept I'm right…and you are ridiculous

(Joe) its not a contest….

*Nick raises an eyebrow*

(Nick) if it was….I would win *smirks*

(Mom) Alright no more guessing…or competing…or whatever this has turned into….someone go round up B so we can open presents.

(Joe) I’ll do it *runs upstairs*

*Joe walks into B’s room, she is laying on her bed*

(Joe) hey, what are you doin? There are presents to be opened downstairs and Nick has already turned it into a competition and hes got his game face on….I need backup *plops down on the bed next to B, B lays there on her side fidgeting with her fingernails, picking at them not responding to Joe* Monkey…. I know you are sad about us leaving…

(Bailey) I’m sad about NICK leaving

*Joe shifts his weight on the bed and sighs, B immediately sits up and grabs Joe's hand*

(Bailey) I'm a bitch…that was SO mean J, I'm sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I am sad about ALL of you leaving, and mad that I cant go. I blame Mom and Dad for making us so damned tight knit…most girls would be happy to be rid of her brothers for a few weeks.

(Joe) well, its partly my fault too….I mean, if I wasn’t so awesome…it would be easier to be away from me. *smiles*

*B giggles*

(Joe) *smiles* B, to be honest, even if you were going, you would barely see us…this is a headlining tour, its way different from the other tours. You should see our itinerary, we have like 2 different cities to be in almost every day doing radio spots, promotional meet and greets and free concerts…we will be in the air more than we are on the ground…and when we are in LA we are doing studio time and tv spots and practicing…not to mention trying to perfect all the little things like stage clothing, lighting…how I'm going to do my hair…

*B giggles*

(Joe) Don’t laugh, that last one could take DAYS… 

(Bailey) oh I know...

(Joe) If you were in LA you may only see us late at night when we walk in and pour ourselves into bed…then we would be gone again before you woke up…trust me, it will fly by…it always does just before tour…then you and Mom will come and you get months of close quarters where you can soak in my awesomeness.

(Bailey)*smiles* I'm gunna miss you

(Joe) *leans over and wraps B into a bear hug* gunna miss you too…..now can we PU-LEASE go open presents…I'm fairly certain one of my presents is a monkey and I don’t want it to suffocate. *smiles*

*B giggles*

(Bailey) yea…ok…*Stands up and starts to walk to the door* A monkey huh?

(Joe) yup! Well, either that or a sweater *shrugs* it could go either way.

End chapter notes:

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