...Connor crossed his arms and smirked at his mother.
"What do you want?" He demanded. "You can't tell us what to do anymore. You can't make us take baths or go to schools or eat veggies. We're gonna eat ice cream and play videogames every day - and you can't stop us 'cause we got this."
Connor raised his hand to show the ring securely affixed to his finger. Oliver's eyes widened and focused on the band, the entirety of his little body tensing as though he planned to make a leap for it. Connor's hand, however, was so high up that the ring might as well be on top of a mountain, meaning that he boy could do nothing but stand there in building frustration, waiting for his opportunity. Melissa, however, was still getting over the shock of her son having spoken to her so rudely. As a five-year-old there had obviously been instances in which he had rebelled against her authority, but this...this was something else entirely. She couldn't say whether it was the testosterone pumping through his veins or his first taste of real freedom that was causing him to act this way - but she could see that Jackson looked almost as uncomfortable with how his brother was acting as she was. It was, in fact, the difference in their demeanors that allowed her to tell them apart - Connor had always been the more rambunctious and daring of the two, while Jackson, sensitive and kind, was typically able to rein his brother in before he could do anything really naughty. In this case he had failed - and his mother could see how deeply that was affecting him.
"Jackson." She turned to the version of her brother that looked uncertain and conflicted. "Do you feel the same way? Do you really not want me to be your mommy anymore?"
It wasn't until she spoke the word that Jackson seemed to realize the severity of what he had done, his cheeks going pale as he looked at Melissa with dawning horror. He hadn't wanted to be naughty - he just wanted to have some fun, to see what it was like to be a grown-up. He never thought that being an adult meant he might have to say goodbye to the person who - even when she was telling him what to do - he loved more than anyone else in the world. Jackson opened his mouth to say as much but was cut off by his indignant brother.
"'Course he does," Connor snapped as he shot Jackson an impatient glare. "We don't need a mommy. We're grown-ups. Go away so we can get back to our game."
"That's MINE!"
A high cry cut through the tension, three sets of adult eyes turning to look at Oliver as the little boy, trembling with righteous fury, stared daggers into Connor. His nephew, surprised by the intensity of Oliver's expression and cry, simply blinked at his little uncle - and then laughed right in the boy's face.
"Aw, does da widdle boy want his toy back?" Connor teased, dangling his hand in front of Oliver's face and laughing louder when the boy unsuccessfully swiped at the band. "Does he wanna be a grown-up again? It doesn't look like it. It looks like he likes holding his mommy's hand and wearing his dumb little boy clothes. Do you need her to take you to the potty, widdle Owwie? Are you gonna wet your pants?"
The red in Oliver's cheeks had grown so deep and his snarl so ferocious that Melissa feared she'd have to restrain the little boy from attacking his adult self. But, to her astonishment - and that of Connor and Jackson - all of that vanished in an instant. One second he looked ready to tear Connor limb from limb...the next he was merely looking up calmly at his big nephew, who was as confused as he was annoyed at the boy's sudden serenity.
"You mean like you did last week?" Oliver smiled.
Connor snapped back as though slapped. He looked at Melissa and Jackson - neither of whom seemed certain where Oliver was going this - before turning back to Oliver, attempting (not entirely successfully) to re-assume his adult swagger.
"Yeah right," he smirked. "That musta been you. You were a little baby even when you were a grown-up."
"Nuh-uh," Oliver continued, emboldened by his nephew's hesitation. "You soaked 'em real bad last time you and Jackson came over to play. I had to wash your undies an' your pants an' your socks."
Connor's smirk disappeared.
"Shut up."
"An' you cried an' cried an' cried an' cried." Oliver giggled, giddy in the re-telling. He pouted up at his big nephew as he took on a mocking imitation of Connor's little-boy voice. "'I did'n meanta wet my pants, Uncle Ollie! Please don't tell my mommy! I don't wanna wear Pull-Ups anymore!'"
Suddenly Connor looked every bit as furious as Connor had a moment prior, fists clenched and cheeks burning and an aura of pure violence radiating from his adult body. Not helping were the amused looks on Jackson and Melissa's faces, the way he could tell when he looked at them that they were just barely keeping themselves from laughing, just barely able to keep themselves from giggling at the silly little five-year-old who still wet his pants like a baby. It was too much.
"I said SHUT UP!" Connor roared. He made to dive at Oliver - but before he could, a man's hand clamped itself on his shoulder and turned him around. Jackson was frozen for but an instant by the look in Connor's eyes - by the rage, the embarrassment, the betrayal that had taken hold of his beloved brother. Then he reared back and clocked Connor square in the chin. Oliver shouted triumphantly and Melissa let out a small cry as Connor crumpled to the floor, not knocked out but woozy enough that he wouldn't be going anywhere for a little bit.
"Owww," Jackson whined as he shook the sting out of his punching hand. He looked up at his shocked mother and frowned miserably. "I didn't wanna do that. I didn't...I didn't want to..."
"I know, sweetie, I know..." Melissa released Oliver's hand (the boy biting back to urge to use his newfound freedom to kick Connor while he was down) and strode over to her son to take him in her arms. Though she was rendered momentarily breathless by the strength with which he hugged her back, she managed to comfort and reassure him just the same. "You did the right thing, sweetie. Thank you. I'm very proud of you."
Jackson was smiling back tears when Melissa pulled away. She - standing on her tip-toes to do so - kissed him on the forehead before turning her attention to Connor, heartbroken that things had come to this for her wayward son. Still, she knew that she had no time to dally - Connor had already started to come around and she knew that she had to act while he was still out of it. With a heavy sigh, she reached into her purse and pulled out...