Chloe zipped her suitcase closed. She lifted it off the bed and attached is to it's pulley device.
"I'm ready!" she yelled out her bedroom door. "Let's go!"
"Hold on dear, we need to finish packing the cooler. Come on downstairs and help me." Mrs.McSilvers yelled back.
Chloe grabbed her suitcase and ran downstairs. She couldn't wait. They were going on a vacation. And not just them, the Jones family would be going too! It would be the first time in several weeks that the two families would spend more than an hour or two together. They would have ten whole days of sharing a beach house, swimming, sailing, snorkeling, and more. Just like the Jones family had done every summer before the switch. And now the McSilvers family was coming too. Chloe couldn't wait.
"Are you ready yet?" Chloe persisted as she entered the kitchen. Mr.McSilvers was loading luggage into the van that the two families would be sharing for the trip. Mrs.McSilvers was packing a cooler full of snacks and drinks for the eight hour drive. Chloe handed Mr.McSilvers her suitcase, and then cheerfully started helping her mom. Mrs.McSilvers was also in high spirits. She was thoroughly enjoying having a daughter as friendly and helpful as Chloe. She had recently began to ponder what had gone wrong with Jenette. Whatever it was, she decided, it didn't matter anymore. She had her real daughter back, the nice one she had often fantasized about when Jenette was still a baby. And now they were going on a family vacation. The first one she had been on since she was a little girl and her parents took her to the beach. She shut the cooler lid.
"Ready?" asked Chloe.
"Ready." confirmed her mother.
They carried the cooler out to the van where everyone else was waiting.
"Chloe!" the Jones family yelled in unison. She ran towards them, and was quickly engulfed in a group bear hug. Jenette pretended to vomit.
"Jenette!" Mr. McSilvers yelled. "Over here honey! How's my girl?"
She ran towards him, and he picked her up in one sweeping motion. "I missed you daddy. I want to go home. I hate the Joneses! I hate them all!" She sobbed, glad that she had taken an acting class in school. She hoped her display of emotions would work. It didn't.
Mrs.McSilvers walked over and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Come on now honey, you don't mean that." She soothed, "Now come on, it's time to go. Don't give me that face. If you're going to sulk this whole vacation we'll just have to return the perfume we bought for you back to the store. Come on, this'll be fun! I promise. Now, get in the car, everyone's waiting." Jenette hung her head and meekly obeyed.
Five hours and seventeen bathroom brakes later, evryone was was feeling tense. For the first few hours Carolyn had attempted to lead everyone in singing songs. Jenette had continuosly poked fun at the different tunes until Carolyn had given up. Nicholas had attempted to to tell the little ones some stories, but Jenette's foul mood had quickly put a stop to that too. Now, Chloe was once more trying to lead songs.
"Come on everyone, you know this one. Lily, this is your favorite, remember? On the count of three we'll start. One, two, three...come on, sing!" She kept trying but to no avail. Jenette had pretty much put an end to anymore singing.
"Aa-choo!" sneezed Lily.
"Bless you." Mrs.Jones said.
"Aa-choo!"
"Bless you."
"Aa-choo! Aa-choo! Aa-choo! Mommy, I need a tissue!"
"Well, you'll have to wait honey, no one has a tissue right now."
"Yes they do, Jenette has some!"
"I do not!" Jenette retorted.
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too! You put lots of them in your shirt every morning when you think I'm asleep! I saw you! See, that's what those two lumps are! Now, give me some!"
Everyone turned to look at Jenette. She was bright red. After giving Lily her most vile look, she smiled sheepishly and sunk down in her seat.
Nicholas burst out laughing. Everyone followed his example, except Jenette, who was swearing under her breath. There was still three more hours to go.
That was chapter five of Chloe and Jenette. I hope you liked it.No copying please, it's illegal, remember? This music is called the Irish Washerwoman.