Over Commer

4 ~ Rules

Kara, Andrea and I followed the security guards into a small office setting. Kara and Andrea both looked confused, wondering why we were being escorted by security. I knew what this was all about, but I tried to remain calm and act as innocent as possible.

They sat us all down and then began asking me questions about the necklace and earrings. At first, I tried to deny anything, saying I didn't know what they were even talking about. Kara and Andrea pleaded with me, that if I did do anything it was best if I said something now instead of being found out. I continued to deny anything, and that is when they pulled up security footage that showed me pocketing the items. Because I was still a minor, and Andrea and Kara were not my guardians, a legal guardian needed to be called in. I tried to explain to them that my mom had just died, and I just moved here, but they persisted. Andrea stepped to the side where she thought that I could not hear her conversation, but I could tell that she had called Richard, and she told him all of what was going on.

Richard was at the store in only about twenty minutes. When he arrived Andrea and Kara stood up and looked at him regretfully. "We're sorry about this sir," Andrea apologized as they started to move through the doors.

"Ladies, please take the car back home. I'll take care of this," Richard said as they passed by him. They both nodded their heads in unison and scurried out the door. Richard took an empty seat as the security guards started explaining over again what was going on, and then showed Richard the footage of my little escapade.

I was nervous by this time, shaking, and feeling sick to my stomach. I was feeling guilty, and too much had already gone on in the last few days for me to think straight. Now on my first day in Michigan, I was already screwing things up. I didn't want to be in huge trouble. When they started showing the security footage, that was when I started crying my eyes out. Richard was angry I was sure, but he kept a neutral face about him, and I wasn't sure how he was going to handle this.

I apologized profusely, crying emotionally, and was practically begging for them not to press any charges. I had never done anything like this before and had never been in trouble with the law. After what seemed like forever, they agreed to not press charges, but I was not welcome back in that store. When everything was said and done, I wasted no time following Richard out of the room, and out of the store.

The car ride home was silent. Jagger was driving, Richard was in the passenger seat, and I was stuck in the back trying to hide my escaping sobs from them. Richard got on his phone, "Cameron, family meeting in five in the family room. Make sure to tell your brothers."

"Can we not tell them?" I panicked as I leaned over, grabbing the headrest of Richard's seat.

He turned his head to try to look at me, "We don't keep secrets from each other, and there are rules that need to be followed."

When we arrived back at the house I hesitated following Richard into the house. He stood at the open doorway and just gave me a dissatisfying look, which meant I needed to follow him or else. In the house I slowly removed my coat and shoes, trying to procrastinate as long as possible. The entire time Richard kept his eyes focused on me and kept giving a 'hurry up' grunt under his breath.

All of my brothers were waiting for us in the family room. Richard took a seat on a massive recliner. I looked around for somewhere to sit, but the only spot that seemed to be available was directly between Cameron and Beckett on one of the couches. I made my way there, and sat down, trying to make myself as small as possible.

"We already have a problem here," Richard started. "We're only into day one, and I've already had to go and talk to store security because of a shoplifting incident this afternoon. I've raised you boys to know that this is unacceptable behavior that won't be tolerated." He then looked at me, "I don't know exactly how your mom raised you, Kelsey, but we can't have this."

I tried to make myself even smaller now, with everyone's eyes directly on me.

"First of all, Kelsey, I'm very upset with your actions. But, I also realize that a lot of change has happened so quickly and sometimes that can be hard to adjust to. As a family, we will help you adjust and learn to live with our house rules."

Richard then proceeded to go through the house rules.

1. Everyone eats dinner together and in the dining room at six in the evening, unless you already have a pre-approved activity going on.
2. Be polite, respectful, and compassionate to everyone.
3. Clean up after yourself - the maids are only here for the basic household cleaning.
4. Seek permission or inform someone before going out.
5. No lying, cheating, stealing.
6. If you want privileges, you need to earn them.
7. Dad, Cameron, and Beckett are allowed to check phones, social media, etc. At any given time, for any reason.
8. Passwords to phones, social media, etc. Will be transparent and written down for Dad, Cameron, and Beckett.
9. Curfew varies on a person-by-person basis.
10. No unsupervised friends over.

"When I'm not home, or I can't be available, Cameron and Beckett are always in charge. I have to frequently travel for my business for days at a time. What they say goes," Richard continued. "As far as what happened today, I'm going to go easy on you for that, only because of everything going on. You're going to write a sincere apology letter to the store, and it needs to be done and brought back down with you for dinner at six."

I took the next half-hour revamping and revising my apology letter to the store. I hate writing, so this was proving a little bit difficult for me. Just before six I quickly washed up for dinner, then headed downstairs, letter in hand. Everyone else was already at their seats waiting, so I took the only empty seat at the table, which was on the right side of Richard who was at the head of the table.

Grace was said, and dishes started to be passed around. I noticed that everyone else had their signature whiskey, but all that was given to me was a glass of ice water. I ate my food slowly, and in silence, listening in on the conversations going around at the table.

About halfway through the meal Richard cleared his voice, "Kelsey, let's hear your letter, please."

I hesitated, "I'm not reading this out loud!" I protested, mortified.

Beckett, who was sitting right next to me grabbed the letter and unfolded it, then began reading it out loud for everyone to hear. It was sooooo embarrassing, and they critiqued almost everything I had said in the letter. When dinner was over, Richard told me to go and help Kara and Andrea with the dishes as another punishment for putting them both in that awkward moment earlier today.

The dishes were cleaned and put away in silence, as no one wanted to talk about what had happened this afternoon. When the dishes were done, I quietly made my way back to my room, where I took a warm shower before I slipped into my bed for the night.

I couldn't sleep for the life of me. My mind was all jumbled with everything that had gone on in the past week, and it felt as if there was no way I was ever to survive any of it. I don't know what possessed me to even try to steal from that store this afternoon. My mind was obviously somewhere else. This was not boding well as a good first impression to these men who were only trying to help me out. I knew that I was going to have to start to figure things out or else I would be in a world of misery from here on after.