Nosy is as Nosy does

Well next week arrived faster than anyone thought it ever would. Ellie was all packed and tried really hard not to cry because it would trigger her headaches. Not that her head wasn’t killing her anyway. Plus she felt she was going to vomit. Her Dad put everything in the car and reminded her to say goodbye to everyone. The two oldest boys, Joe and Chick tried really hard to show that they could do this without crying but had to walk away really fast or they were going to ball in front of her and Mom and Dad told them to try and not cry too hard in front of her. Wasn’t working out to well. Beth and Sean had to be pried from her waist because they weren’t going to let her leave. Mom held on tight to them as she tried her best not to cry as she saw her first born get into the car and drive off for the first time to be away from her. It was hurting them to watch their daughter leave knowing that they couldn’t be with her or help her through this when she needed them the most.

At the airport Ellie and her Dad waited for her plane to be ready to be boarded.

“Now you be a good girl for Michael and Marsha ok?” Paul told her choking back his tears.

“I will Daddy. I’ll miss you.” She said as the tears streamed down her face.

“We’ll miss you too Sweetheart. It shouldn’t be too long I hope. I see they’re boarding now. Give me kisses.” He gave her kisses and walked her to the plane. Once she was inside the plane he could let the tears flow. He prayed all the way home that this would work out or at least relieve some of her pain.

The flight didn’t take long and she was able to find her baggage really easy. She went to the meeting place where she was supposed to meet her cousins and waited. About fifteen minutes late this handsome man walks up to her and asks her, “Hi Ellie?”

She looks up from her magazine, “Yes?”

“Hi I’m Michael, I’m so glad to finally meet you. Aunt Cecilia has told us so much about you. I hope you had a good flight?” he asked her smiling.

Smiling, “Yes, yes I did.”

“Well Good, let’s get your stuff and we’ll get going. Your cousins are so excited to see you.” He told her.

“Really? I didn’t think they would care one way or the other.” She asked him surprised.

“Nope we’ve been telling them all about you and they can’t wait. It’s almost like they’re getting a big sister.” Michael explained to her.

She couldn’t get over that they were excited about her coming for the summer. Here she was all upset because she’s never been away from her family before and here is this family all excited for her to join theirs. But if anyone had her parents they would feel the same way. It was about a ten minute drive from the airport to the house and as they pulled up she couldn’t believe her eyes. There was a big banner the read “Welcome Ellie”

“Oh my goodness is that for me?” she asked Michael in shock.

Michael chuckled. “It sure is, the kids wanted to do something special for you. Do you like it?”

“I…I love it. Thank You.” She told him.

“Come on the kids are waiting for you inside.

They entered the house and as they did Michael yelled out. “MARSHA! WERE HOME!”

Just then they heard the rattle of running feet coming at them. “Daddy!!!!!!!”

“Hey guys slow down we don’t won’t to scare Ellie away do we?” Michael told them laughing.

They stopped dead in their tracks and just stared at her. Ellie just stared right back at them. Finally she said to them, “Hi there.”

Giggling they both said Hi right back to her. Then Tommy asked her, “Are yous staying withd us for a while?”

Smiling, “Yes I am is that ok with you guys?”

“Yup.” Tommy said.

Katie went over to her and gave her a hug. Marsha was watching at the doorway from h the kitchen. She came into the living room “Hi Ellie I’m Marsha I’m so glad you’re going to be staying with us. Michael why don’t you go put her things in the guest room.”

“Well thank you for letting me stay here Marsha.” Ellie said.

“Hey what’s family for Honey. I would do anything for Aunt Cecilia and Uncle Paul. And don’t worry everything is going to be ok. Anytime you want to call them feel free ok? And if you need to talk I’m here.” She told her feeling that she was uptight.

She showed Ellie to her room so she could unpack and told her that dinner was around six. If she was hungry before then she could go into the kitchen anytime she wanted to find something to eat. If she wanted to watch tv to go ahead that they weren’t that involved in tv and she could watch what she wanted. Which was great for her seeing she had her favorites and had to watch them. It was still early so she took the kids out in the back yard so they could play. She didn’t know that the neighbor next door could see everything and needed to know everything.

She was watching through her kitchen window when this young girl came out with the two kids next door. She turned to her stove just as her brownies were finished. She took them out and quickly put them on the counter so they would cool so she could cut them. Her husband then walked into the kitchen and smiled.

“Oh so were having brownies for desert tonight?” he asked his wife smiling.

Giving him the eye, “No they’re not for you! I made this for the Levine’s. They’re niece just flew in today and I wanted all of us to go over in a little while and greet her. So we can’t go over there empty handed now can we?” she asked him.

He looked at her knowing that she was right. “I hate it darling when you are right. Is this the one you were telling me that has the headaches?” he asked her.

“Yes poor thing. And she has to be away from her family so I just want to welcome her to the neighborhood. What’s so bad about that?” she told him.

“Nothing but knowing you, you want to get her whole background by the time we leave there dear. If you ask me her parents sent her to stay with her cousins because they can’t afford the place. So leave her alone. She has enough problems without you adding anymore to her plate.” He told his wife.

“I wasn’t going to do anything. I was just going to say Hi and if we can help them out why not? Why do you always have to think the worst of me?” she asked him miffed.

“Because I know you.” He said as he kissed the top of her head.

“Well gather up the boys because we are ALL going over and don’t take no for an answer. We’re going over in an hour and I want to see everyone here in the kitchen exactly then.” She demanded.

Dad told his two youngest boys and went to find his oldest. He was in his bedroom listening to his records when Dad walked in. He had his headphones on and his eyes closed bobbing his head to the music. He shook him which made him jump.

“DAD!” he screamed.

Laughing, “Calm down. I’m sorry but you play that so damn loud you didn’t even hear me come in. Look your Mom wants us all to meet in the kitchen say in about fifty five minutes now and she means it. She’s in one of her moods. And don’t say it.” He told his son who was about to say something smart mouth.  

She was putting the brownies in a dish and just covering it as her eldest finally came into the kitchen.

“Dad said you wanted to meet? So what’s up?” he asked them.

She looked at him and gasped. “Honey didn’t you tell him what we were going to do? He can’t wear that! It’ not appropriate for him to wear that with children around.” She told her husband.

“I’m sorry I forgot he distracted me with the damn headphones he had on.” He told her.

“What’s going on? And what’s wrong with my T-shirt? All this is saying is that we aren’t going to take crap anymore!” he told his parents.

“You are not going to wear that next door where there are children so go change into something more appropriate right now.” She told him giving him the eye. 

“What?!” he asked surprised and confused.

“We are going over to the Levine’s to welcome their cousin who is staying with them I believe for the summer. So go up those stairs young man and change that shirt right now!” she demanded.

He sat there staring at her. He didn’t understand why he had to go. “Ma! Why the hell do I have to go? I don’t know her.  Besides I’m waiting for a phone call. Can’t I just stay here? Dadddd?” he whined. She looked at her husband to help.

“Sorry son but we are all going as a family. So go upstairs and change your shirt or their will be consequences if you don’t.” he explained to him.

He got up from the table and went upstairs to change his shirt. He knew if he didn’t…well the punishments were still not any better for him when he was a kid. His parents would use the belt on him when he turn thirteen seeing that they thought that was the age now of non-spankings. He probably had gotten it about three times now and really didn’t want it anymore. He grabbed a polo shirt he had in his closet and threw that on. He cringed.

Back at the Levine’s they were getting ready to sit down for dinner when the doorbell rang. They all looked at each other in confusion.

“Well I wonder who that could be. Michael could you see who that is please.” Marsha asked her husband.

Michael got up from where he sat and walked out of the kitchen to the front door when he opened it he saw Mr. and Mrs. Bongiovi standing there smiling as the three kids already looked bored out of their minds.

“John Sr., Carol what brings you by?” Michael asked as if he didn’t know.

“Well Marsha told me that your niece was coming today and then I saw her with the children out back playing so I made these brownies. Um aren’t you going to ask us in?” Carol asked Michael trying to peek around him. “Well I would but we were just sitting down to…” but he was cut off by Marsha as she walked into the living room.

  “John Sr., Carol won’t you all come in. Sit, sit please we were just about to eat but please it will hold.” Marsha said smiling trying very hard not to grit her teeth. Just then Katie and Tommy came running in with Ellie behind them.

“Sorry but they wouldn’t sit still without you guys there.” Ellie told them.

“That’s ok honey, Ellie I like to introduce you to our next door neighbors the Bongiovi’s.” Marsha told her and as the introductions were being made their eldest was scoping her out. She noticed and became very annoyed only because she thought he was going to make fun of her like most of the kids did. She hated it when nobody ever believed her about her headaches.

Their youngest went off to play with the kids while their two oldest sat on the couch with their parents and just stayed quiet. Ellie sat on the arm of the chair that Marsha was sitting in. Carol did most of the talking and Ellie wanted to roll her eyes. She knew exactly what she was doing. Her parents didn’t raise no dummy. As the grownups were talking apparently the three teens were in their own world only to be snapped out of it when they heard Carol come out with this and Tony started to laugh.

“What? What’s so funny?” John asked Tony. Tony was laughing hard now as Ellie was just sitting there trying to figure a way to get out of it. “Will someone tell me what’s going on please?” he asked again.

“You mean you didn’t hear a word I said?” Carol asked her son. John just shook his head sadly. “Fine I’ll tell you again. Why don’t you take Ellie out tomorrow and show her around town. Maybe even to a movie and then get something to eat?” she told her oldest. John just looked at her shocked.

“You mean a date!” he exclaimed.

“No not a date just a friend helping another friend find her way what is so wrong with that?” Carol asked her son.

“Because it sounds like a date that’s why.” He whined.

Ellie chimed in, “You know I can solve this problem right now. I don’t want to go anywhere with you! Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to my room.” She said as she walked out but not until she was mumbling to herself ‘Big dumb jerk!’

“John that wasn’t very nice!” Carol told her son who was absolutely clueless.

“What? What did I do?” John asked confused.