Laurie sat down at the dinner table to spaghetti. She was in between Andy and Mike, her usual spot nowadays. After the family said grace, they began to eat. Laurie looked to her right at Andy who was shovelling the spaghetti into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in 4 months. Laurie sighed and looked to her left at Mikey. Mikey was sucking in the spaghetti strand by strand. He already had tomato sauce all over his face. "Boys," thought Laurie. "They are suchh slobs." She began to cut her spaghetti up and eat it, nice and neatly. Absentmindedly, she began to blow bubbles in her milk.
"Lauren, please stop blowing bubbles in your milk," said Mr. Woodman.
"Sorry, Dad." Laurie's parents were sticklers for manners, and all of a sudden, it seemed like all three of the kids were forgetting them more and more often.
Dinner was nice and quiet, until Mikey knocked over his milk, sloshing it all overr the table and into Laurie's lap. Laurie jumped up.
"MIKEY! Be careful!" Laurie yelled at him.
"Michael, go get the sponge," said Mr. Woodman. Mikey, instead, began finger-painting in the spilled milk.
"MICHAEL!" yelled Mr. Woodman.
"Okay, okay," said Mikey. He got up and got the sponge. Laurie sat back down. Mikey wiped up the rest of the milk, knocking it into Laurie's lap. Then, Andy let out a huge, disgusting burp.
"Andrew! Your manners," said Mrs. Woodson.
"Excuse me," Andy said monotously.
"Everyone seems to be forgetting their manners tonight," Mr. Woodson said. "Mikey, slurping his spaghetti and knocking his milk over, Laurie blowing bubbles in her milk and yelling at the table, and Andy burping and not excusing himself."
"Well, excuse me, but I believe you were yelling too, Dad," said Andy.
"Andrew, quit being a smart mouth."
"But dad, I was just saying--"
Mr. Woodson stood up. "One more word, and you're in your room for the rest of the night, Andrew."
"Okay," he said.
"Go to your room."
"I was just agreeing with you!" yelled Andy.
"Go, or else you're grounded."
Andy shoved his chair from the table. "Fine, be that way. I don't want to be down here anyway." Andy stomped up to his room, slamming the door on his way in. Mr. Woodman sat down, wiped his mouth, and everyone finished eating dinner.
Laurie finished her spaghetti and excused herself from the table. She went upstairs and wrote an e-mail to Halley. Then she went back down and got some milk. She walked by her father's study on the way. He was talking to her mom in there.
"....I just think that the kids need this. Did you notice them at dinner tonight? They're getting worse."
"I agree, Alex. Something has to be done. I will call the place tomorrow," said her mom.
Laurie wondered what they were talking about. She then went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of milk. She went back up to her room. She opened the window and looked across to Ike's room. He was sitting at his desk working on something. Laurie picked up her extension of the phone.
"Hey, Ike. You there?" she asked.
Ike immedietely grabbed the phone. "Yeah, Laurie, just working on some writing."
"Want me to leave you alone?"
"No, that's okay. I needed a break. What's up?"
"Not much. I was just checking my e-mail."
"Anything interesting?"
"I wish."
"Oh, okay. I checked mine awhile ago, nothing new either."
"Well, I'm going to go to sleep. I am so tired, you wouldn't believe it."
"Okay. 'Night Laurie. Sweet dreams."
"You too Ike." Laurie put her phone down and curled up in her bed. While she was getting ready to go, Ike finished up his poem and wrote a letter to go with the poem. He put a single name across the envelope. He sealed the envelope and put it in his desk. He would wait until the time was right to give it to her.
Chapter 11 *not yet up*
Chapter 9
I Knew Them When
While We Grow
