Ghost Bird... Do You Hear Me?Book II

Parsley Ruined My Life

Papa Luke signed back, "Averie. She asked what the green stuff on the spaghetti was. Your mother told her it was parsley. Averie threw her hands up in the air and said her life was ruined."

I started laughing, which got everyone to laughing again... except Averie, who was now pouting.

Isis, Papa North's four year old, spoke up when the laughter settled down. "I'm with Averie. What the hell is this stuff? I mean ranch dressing? It's white, with little black pieces of sh*t. Blech!"

I might not be able to hear, but the silence was palpable, with the exception of Papa Luke, and then my younger brothers of course. But Papa Luke looked like he was about ready to fall out of his chair. I looked right at her and signed, "Isis! Watch your language. You are picking up bad habits from some of the adults."

She ducked her head down low and leaned against Papa Owen, signing the word for sorry as she hid in the protection of his arm. I could see the tears in her little eyes.

"Phoenix, I believe you might have been a bit too hard on her. She was just doing as young children do, and unfortunately that means repeating what she hears from adults." He eyed Papa North, who just shrugged. "I kindly ask that you apologize." Papa Owen was right. I had stepped in and gotten on my little sis.

I stood and walked around the table to where Isis was hiding in Papa Owen's arm, and picked her up. She put her arms around me, as I did my best to say, "I'm sorry." She picked her head up and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. I took this as a sign that all was well, so I sat her back down so she could climb back into her chair, while I went back around to my chair to sit and finished eating.

The rest of dinner was filled with laughter and conversation about the days photo shoot, and how nice everyone looked. I particularly liked the twins. Mom and Papa Kota had put little knitted crowns on their heads while they were placed sleeping on a faux fur blanket. Regardless, our parents were looking forward to going through the digital proofs after we got the little ones to bed, and after the family meeting.

Violet, Cadence, Cherie, Emily, I mean Doctor Evil, and I volunteered to clean up while our parents got the younger siblings cleaned up and settled in for the evening. The adults had completely separated from the five of us, when Cadence and Cherie pulled me to the side.

Signing frantically and a bit angry and upset, Cadence started, "Be prepared for the meeting tonight. Cherie found a magazine in your room and mom caught us with it. So it's your fault when we all get in trouble!"

Signing back, I told them, "Wait, what? How is it my fault when you took something from my room? What magazine did you take? I don't even have any magazines in my room."

Cadence widened her eyes, giving me that look girls use to communicate with their minds. Yeah, I got those, along with the hands to give emphasis. So I threw the same eyes and hands back at her along with an annoying smirk.

Cherie threw her hands up in the air and stomped her foot on the floor before signing, "The nudie magazine, Phoenix. The really old one you had stuffed between your mattress near the head of your bed. The corner of it was sticking out. We found it when we were playing hide and seek with the younger kids."

I watched her deflate and become less animate as she signed. All three of us were going to be in trouble. I had gotten a few of them from the recycling bin when Papa North was told to throw them out. Now they had gotten me caught. I signed back to both of them, "Might as well face the music head on. Don't deny anything. We're all guilty in some part of it. Let's get this done so we can get the meeting over with." Then I gestured over to Violet and Emily who were already working on putting the leftovers in one of the refrigerators.