Life With Boys

chapter seven-visitors and vengeance

Talia's POV

The exams were pretty easy. For my options, I put down art, cooking, French, Mandarin and Arabic. We also have to take a science subject, so I picked chemistry. I really want to become a physiotherapist or psychologist when I'm older. It requires lots of work, but if I can maintain my 4.3 GPA, I might be able to get into Harvard Medical School. We will be getting the results and timetables, book lists etc tomorrow.

I drove home and dumped the keys in the bowl beside the door.

"Mom, go to bed," I instructed, handing her some herbal tea and a sleeping tablet. " You're exhausted!" She took the tablet, rinsing it down with tea, and made her way upstairs.

Ding Dong. I heard the bell sound. I looked out of the peephole to see a woman I didn't recognise. She held a plate of cookies and looked vaguely familiar. I opened the door.

"Hello dear! I just wanted to come over to welcome you to the neighbourhood! I live next door, number 44. Is your mam there?" Her voice was cheerful.

"She is asleep at the minute. Would you like to come in Mrs Morrissey? Your husband runs the local school, right?" I stepped aside and motioned for her to come in. We strolled to the kitchen, making small talk.

"Guys, can you come to the kitchen please? Quietly!" I said into the intercom. "It's better than shouting up the stairs!" I explained to Mrs Morrissey.

Three seconds later, I heard a crash. "Wasn't me!" James called out. I rolled my eyes and went out to see what broke. I sighed in relief when I saw it was just a Walmart vase.

"Lee, who broke it?" I asked my most honest brother.

"James. It was James," he said, after thinking for a bit.

"James, clean it up asap. The rest of you, come down, we've got a guest," my tone was cold because they made me miss out on the cookies. I got to the kitchen as fast as I could. It is rude to leave a guest on their own.

"So sorry about that Mrs Morrissey. James is cleaning it up now. These," I gestured around me. "Are my brothers. Kai, the eldest, is twenty four. He lives in Seattle with his fiancée. Introduce yourselves boys!" I hopped into line with Shaun on my left (James hadn't finished yet), and Tom on my right.

"I'm Zachary, and I'm twenty three. I'm the second oldest."

"Mark, I'm twenty one."

"Hey Mrs Morrissey! I'm Hayden and I'm nineteen."

"Hey! I'm Jack and I'm seventeen."

"Theo..."

"Tom.."

"Talia, we're sixteen and triplets." I finished.

"Oh how lovely! My triplets are the same age! They're all girls though," Mrs Morrissey remarked. Theo and Tom smirked at each other, while I scoffed and elbowed Tom. Just then, James hopped into line.

"Hey ma'am! I'm James and I'm fourteen," he said, panting slightly.

"Shaun and I'm twelve."

"My niece is the same age!" Mrs Morrissey said, smiling slightly.

"Hello. I'm Will and I'm twelve too. There's ten months between me and Shaun," Will politely explained.

"Luke..."

"Lee..."

"Louis..."

"Liam. We're eight and we're quadruplets."

"Wow, you have a big family! Where's your dad?" Mrs Morrissey asked. We looked at each other and then I stepped forward.

"He passed away in a car crash a year and a half ago," I managed to keep my voice from cracking, but tears lined my eyes.