Image by Krzysztof Jaracz from Pixabay
Inside the Ludlow home, Mrs. Ludlow was working on dinner and marveled at the sudden storm that had broken out – it sounded like a big thunderhead was dropping its load over the house … but then she looked out of the kitchen window, and the sun was shining and it wasn't raining.
In the living room, water was pouring down all the front windows … and Capt. Ludlow was smiling in his sleep, with Lil' Robert his baby grandson having put on his pajamas and curled up in his arms, the sunlight playing through the water and making them both look ethereal.
Amanda, Grayson, and Edwina were all playing with the Legos, and Andrew and Eleanor were reading, trying to look innocent, but...
“Every one of you knows what is going on here,” Mrs. Ludlow said, “and I see you were trying to do a good thing for your grandfather, so if you tell me the truth right now, there will be no trouble.”
Eleanor stood up and quietly confessed, taking full responsibility for the whole thing … so out she and her grandmother went, and her grandmother marveled at how a rain gutter could be made to completely overflow along its length with five pairs of her eldest granddaughter's socks.
“It wasn't designed for a monsoon – you know with that much water weight, the whole gutter could have just collapsed, right, Eleanor?”
“Never even thought about it, Grandma.”
“You know if you had slipped in those socks, you could have fallen off the roof and died, right, Eleanor?”
“Never thought about that either, Grandma.”
“You know this is why eleven-year-olds are supposed to ask for adult permission, right, Eleanor?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Go turn off the water, Eleanor, and then let me show you something.”
Mrs. Ludlow and Eleanor went back into the house, and Mrs. Ludlow plugged her laptop into the family sound system.
“See all these rain videos and audios here? We can have rain in surround sound, right here.”
Mrs. Ludlow pressed a button, and the room was filled with the sound of heavy rain.
“You had the right idea in terms of sound, Eleanor, but terrible execution.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Who helped move the ladder?”
“I did,” Andrew said.
“And of course, who was on lookout?”
Grayson, Amanda, and Edwina raised their hands, while Lil' Robert snored away in his grandfather's arms.
“Let's get the ladder moved back, and then all of you put your toys and books away and go to your rooms until dinner.”
“Yes, ma'am,” all six said, and did exactly as they were told.
“Is it fair that Lil' Robert gets to stay there – well, yeah, it is, because if he had napped while it was pouring yesterday, Lil' Robert would have been there,” George said.
“So long as Papa doesn't get really mad when he finds out – but then Grandma said there will be no trouble because we told the truth – so don't even worry about it,” Andrew said. “You're still just as grounded as yesterday and nobody knows you were involved – you were in your room, remember? – so you still get to have your day with him tomorrow.”
“Oh, yeah … thank you for covering for both me and Milton and Gracie and Velma.”
“Just remember not to get jealous with Lil' Robert at or after dinner because you know he will rat you right out.”
“How is he that small and just running everything around here for everyone not an adult?”
“Well, when you are Robert Edward Ludlow come again for the third time, I guess it's just how it is. You know how Papa is running pretty much everything in adult world that Sgt. Trent and God are not running, and so our Lil' Robert is Robert Edward Ludlow too, so, I guess that's just how it is.”
“I'll be glad when this adoption goes through and Ludlow is really our last name too, Andrew!”
“To sound like Gracie and Milton and Velma for a minute: ain't it the truth, George!”
“Do you think it will make any difference?”
“Do you think Robert is somehow going to shrink and get quieter?”
George shook his head.
“Never mind … I'm just going to stay right here in this room and wait for Sunday to get here. Robert can't really help who he is so I just have to be smart about who I am and getting what I need.”
“There you go,” Andrew said. “You're really smart anyway, so that should be easy if you concentrate.”
“I'm glad you think so, Andrew – I'm glad you're my real brother and will be even more my brother in the adoption!”
Grayson poked his head in.
“Me too!” he said, and waved before going back to the room he was supposed to be in.
What an amazing click😇😊👏