4 C4

After Emily had parked the car, Hannah took the bag that contained the goodnights in the house, and straight to her bedroom. She had already entered her first drink entry into what she now thought of as a drink diary. The first entry was a twenty ounce soda that she had gotten with her lunch. After putting the goodnights in one of her dresser drawers, she went back downstairs and sat on the couch, picking up the shared iPad that lived in the living room. Opening the book app, she continued to read 'The Hunger Games'. One thing that Emily had never done was tell either of her daughters that they couldn't have a book. Hannah quickly became so engrossed in the book that she didn't hear her mother talking to her.

"Hannah, your sister and Olivia are on their way and dinner will be ready soon," Emily said into the great room. "Will you set the table?" Emily wasn't looking into the great room and finally poked her head into the large room when she didn't hear her daughter setting the table. "Hannah?"

"Huh?" Hannah asked, finally registering that her mother was talking to her. "Sorry, I got wrapped up in my book."

Emily chuckled at her daughter. She would rather Hannah or Lexie get wrapped up in a book than end up doing drugs or who knows what else... "I asked if you would set the table as Lexie and Olivia will be here soon."

"Yep," Hannah replied, unfolding her legs and closing the case on the iPad. She went into the kitchen and washed her hands, and then set about setting the table for dinner. After the table had been set, Hannah looked at her mom. "Now what?"

"When was the last time you went to the bathroom?" Emily asked, stirring a pot that was on the stove.

"Hmm..." Hannah said as she thought about the answer to the question. "I don't recall having gone since this morning."

"Go try..." Emily responded.

"Mom!" Hannah exclaimed. "I'm not potty training. I just don't feel like I have to go to the bathroom right now."

"Ok," Emily replied, reaching for the timer on the oven to shut it off. "I'm just thinking ahead..." The back door opened and Lexie and Olivia walked in, followed by Tina, who was carrying Olivia's overnight bag. "Hey girls, Tina."

"She was well behaved for me, like she always is," Tina said, sitting the bag on the floor next to the counter. "But then again, she knows that she will get in trouble at my house, and then get in more trouble when she gets home..."

"So true..." Emily said. That was all Hannah heard as she worked her way to the bathroom on the first floor of the house. After Hannah had used the bathroom, she ran up to her room to log her going to the bathroom, even a little bit of data for Tuesday's appointment would be better than none. By the time Hannah returned to the kitchen, Tina had gone, leaving Olivia in Emily's care. Emily gave Hannah a look with an eyebrow raised, and Hannah gave a slight nod, telling her mother all that she needed to know. "So, I made Tuna Noodle Casserole for dinner."

Hannah felt her mouth start to water. "Yum." She said, sliding into her normal chair.

"What do you girls want to drink?" Emily asked, opening the fridge and looking inside.

"Soda!" Lexie and Olivia shouted at the same time and then looked at each other, giggling.

"Soda," Hannah replied, trepidation apparent in her voice. It was something that neither of the younger two girls picked up on, but her mother sure did. One can of soda during dinner probably wouldn't affect her, but then again, who knew at this point.

Emily carried the three cans of soda to the table and sat Lexie and Olivia's down first. She looked at Hannah and mouthed "Only one." Hannah gave a slight nod and then scooped some tuna noodle casserole out of the dish and onto her plate. She was strangely silent as she ate, listening to Olivia and Lexie chatter on about their day. Hannah's thoughts were, instead, on the pacifier and sippy cup that they had bought at the store. She wondered what had possessed her to want to obtain them. She didn't have a problem with sticking things in her mouth, so there was no reason for the pacifier. The sippy cup was more of an oddity in her mind. She could come up with no reason, logically or illogically, for the sippy cup. The only thought she had for the sippy cup was that it was a specific number of ounces, and that could help with tracking her intake of liquid. After she had cleaned her plate, had seconds, and cleared those off the plate, she finally took a drink of the can of soda sitting on the table next to the plate. She wondered how wet the bed was going to be tonight. She was distracted from her thoughts by Lexie saying her name.

"...Hannah..." Lexie said. Olivia giggled. "You look like you drifted off there... Olivia and I were going to go watch a movie, want to come with us?"

"Yeah," Hannah replied. "I'll come out there with you. I'm gonna finish my book though..."

"Ok." Lexie said. Hannah briefly wondered what her sister would say or do if she found out what had become a family secret.

"Lexie," Emily said. "Hannah set the table, so you need to clear it and start the dishwasher."

"Ok..." Lexie said, clearly not happy about having to do her chores when her friend was over. She started to pick up the plates when Olivia grabbed two plates and the casserole dish.

"I'll help you," Olivia said, "I have to do it every night on my own so I don't mind helping you. Besides, the two of us will finish it faster and we can go the movie. Hannah went out and claimed her spot on the couch, and picked up the iPad, instantly getting lost in her book again. She didn't even notice Lexie and Olivia come into the room and turn on their movie...