RELUCTANT PRESS

Cindy was pleased to see her cowed brother. With a smile of satisfaction, she resumed the vivid description of her pretty dress.

It was plain that she was embellishing the depiction simply to rub salt into Sheldon's wounded pride. No one blamed her a bit. When the meal was finished, Sheldon rose from his seat to slink off to his room.

ther.

"Sheldon, where do you think you're going," asked his fa-

Sheldon stopped and turned, ready to snap a retort. Fortunately, he saw an expectant gleam in his father's eye that warned him to tread lightly. "I was going to my room," he stated through clenched teeth.

"I've kept your step-mother from making you do your share of the chores around here because I was concerned you might feel abused by the intrusion she, Barry, and Cindy made upon your life," Fred said. "It's been over two years since I MARRIED Helen. They are now part of OUR family. You've done nothing but take advantage of my concern by becoming an arrogant spoiled brat. That will change as of now. Your mother will assign you an equal share of chores that Cindy now performs. I don't want to hear any protests or complaints. Your mother has my permission to deal with your behavior in ANY way she deems fit! You certainly don't want me to have to punish you for not cooperating! Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Sheldon shivered with barely controlled rage. He tersely nodded his head in acquiescence, determined not to cooperate more than was required to avoid renewing his father's ire. Just the thought of being strapped with his father's belt made his butt hurt!

"Just see that you do as you're told! Helen, he's all yours," Fred said as he dismissed his son.

Helen was thrilled to finally be given the green light to curb Sheldon's growing obstinance. "Sheldon, you can begin by helping Cindy clear the table, put away the left overs, and then doing the dishes."

TWO LITTLE GIRLS

By JENNIFER SUE

"All right!" gleefully said Cindy, pleased at the prospect of getting help with the chores.

Sheldon glared at her, but even harsher glares from his parents forced him to lower his gaze. Submissively, he followed Cindy's example as they began to clear the table. It really galled him to have to follow Cindy's patient and minutelydetailed instructions. Anger and frustration boiled and frothed within him.

As Sheldon and Cindy cleared the table, Fred and Barry stepped outside to finish installing the new motion detector lights on the porch. Helen picked up her mending and sat at the dining room table to work. From there, she could keep a watchful eye on Sheldon without being too intrusive.

"No, no, Sheldon, that's not how they belong," Cindy scolded Sheldon as he stood atop the small stool to reach the cabinet where the dishes were stored. "Get down, I'll show you how it's done."

Sheldon was ready to explode. If it hadn't been for the fact that Helen sat in the next room he'd have hit Cindy. She was treating him as if he were a toddler!

"First, you neatly stack the plates on the counter," Cindy instructed as she stood atop the stool. "Then you put them into the cabinet all at one time. It's dumb to put them in one at a time like you were doing!"

As she leaned over to place the stack in the cabinet, the stool wobbled a bit. Not enough to be dangerous, but enough to cause Sheldon to notice. "Too bad it doesn't tip over," thought the fuming boy as he watched Cindy pick up another stack. A quick glance towards the living room showed that Helen could not see them. Without further thought, Sheldon shoved the stool with his foot just as Cindy leaned over to place another stack in the cabinet.

It was just enough to cause the stool to tip. Cindy screamed as she and the dishes crashed to the counter. The ear-splitting scream followed immediately by the sound of shattering china brought Helen dashing into the kitchen before Cindy toppled to the floor.

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