I woke to the sound of shattering glass and then water flowing through the pipes in the walls to the kitchen, where the knob squeaked as someone turned on the faucet; the yellow light nearly blinded me as I entered upon a very familiar scene.

'Laina knelt on the ground, picking out large pieces of what had once been a glass, while Ben stood in front of the running sink.

"How did it get way over here anyway?" She complained. "Ow! —Damn it, Ben, that makes two today—Oh," Guilt flushed her sprightly face. "Hi, Marie."

"Don't say that... 'Laina." I reprimanded, with as much sternness as I could muster through my amusement.

"The other one wasn't my fault." Ben claimed, turning to me. "Marie, what kind of moron puts a glass in the sink with the disposal?"

"A normal one." I laughed. "You're supposed to check in the disposal before you run it, Ben."

"That's so stupid." He shook his head, disgusted. "People should just put the dishes in the other sink. Then we wouldn't have this problem. They should make a disposal with a laser sensor, or something, that tells you when there's a glass or silverware in there before it turns on."

"Yeah." 'Laina nodded sypathetically. "But they don't. Now, get the broom... Besides," She added. "That wouldn't help your dropping stuff all the time." She rolled her eyes. Such a steriotypical gesture— yet, somehow, my twelve-year-old sister had made it her own.

"Anyway..." I laughed again. "Hi, guys." They both brightened and waved.

"When did you even get here?" Ben asked. "And why did you sleep on the floor? You look like hell."

"I've been there." I quipped. "I overthrew their leader and now... I rule..."

Ben laughed.

"You're weird." 'Laina shook her head as she dumped the sparkling shards into the trash can. "When's dinner?"

"I don't know." The brother shrugged. "Who knows when Mom and Dad'll get back, and I don't feel like cooking."

"Let's have pizza then." I jumped in before it could get ugly.

"Yeah." 'Laina nodded emphatically.

"Hey, pizza's good." Ben assented casually, trying to hide the excitement the spark in his brown eyes betrayed as he turned to me. "Wanna split it?"

"Sure."

"Hey, we should go rent a movie, too!" 'Laina skipped after us toward the phone in the dim living room.

"Nah, let's just watch something we already have." I said, pressing the speed-dial.

"Can I do it? Please, Marie?"

"Okay, fine. But no anchovies or pineapple." I handed 'Laina the phone, which she hung up and redialed —from memory.

"How often do you guys have pizza?" I whispered to my brother.

"Not that often," He smiled guiltily.

"Shhh!" 'Laina put a finger to her lips and pressed the phone harder to her ear. "Hi, Bryan, can I please speak to Russell?" She said sweetly. "Thanks." Ben and I exchanged bewildered glances and watched her intently. "Hi, Russ," She grinned. "I'm good, thanks. You? Oh, that's great...What?" She laughed. "Oh my gosh, people are so stupid sometimes... Ummm... Okay, I'll take two large thin crust, one just just cheese, and the other... Mmmmh... That hawaiian one? Yeah, the one with the pineapple? Right... Yeah. But could you do me a huge favour and take the pineapple off one half? Thanks, Russ, you're so awesome... Twenty minutes? Okay. Bye, Russ."

She hung up the phone and sauntered into the kitchen. Ben and I just watched her go, mirroring eachother's stupification. Her groan of frustration reached us seconds before she reappeared.