If There Be Thorns

1

Hey! Freak-boy.

Have a nice trip!

See you next Fall!

Leave him alone, jerk-off.

Oh, or what?

You gonna kick my ass with some

ballet moves?

Hey, get a life! Moron.

Don't listen to them, okay, Bart?

Hey, Melodie and I are gonna go

for a hike.

I'll be home in a bit,

Don't tell mom and dad, okay?

See you at home, buddy.

Hey, Emma.

Hi, Dr. Sheffield.

Here's your mail.

Thank you.

Hey. Dad.

Hey, kiddo.

This kid on the bus--

Why don't you give us a second,

go inside and get a snack?

Thanks, buddy.

"Hello" to you, too, Bart!

Miss Cathy, is it my turn?

Yes.

Why's she here again?

Bart, sweetie.

Her mom's in the hospital.

The cancer's come back so she

needs us right now.

Can't she stay with someone else?

No.

Because there is no one else.

Don't eat too many cookies.

You'll spoil your appetite.

Okay, sweetie.

Show me what you did.

Stupid jocks.

See you tonight.

Emma tells me you've already

sold all the tickets for your show.

Yes, I have.

I really think it's gonna boost enrolment

in the studio.

You've already got a waiting list!

Well, I think that's because all the girls

are lining up to dance with

my very handsome assistant instructor.

Hey, peanut.

Your babysitter's outside.

-Okay.

-Go.

-Say "Bye" to Miss Cathy.

-Bye, sweetie.

Bye, Miss Cathy.

See you tomorrow.

She's so cute.

Yes, she is.

Hey, Jory.

Where's your brother?

Oh, he's out in the treehouse, I'm sure.

Come on.

He's always in the treehouse.

He's 12.

Do you remember what you were

doing at that age?

I think I've totally forgotten.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Maybe I need a reminder.

Maybe I can help with that.

Yeah?

Hey, Bart?

Hey, you up there?

Where are you?

Come on, Clover, where is he?

Good boy.

Come on, Clover.

Bart?

Got ya!

You scared the crap out of me!

Hey, I found your girlie magazines.

That's not mine.

Yeah?

Relax! I'm not gonna tell mom and dad.

Where'd you get it, though?

In the basement of the dracule house

next door.

Come and see.

Come on, clover.

Come on.

This place is really creepy.

I wonder if people died here,

and it's haunted.

Maybe that's why no one's bought it.

Hey, where are you taking me?

Oh, man. That's gross.

I know. How do you think they died?

Don't know.

Maybe they came in through the chimney

and got trapped.

No! Clover! Bad dog!

You okay?

Yeah. Man...

Get out of here!

Go home, you stupid mutt!

Hey, hey.

Looks pretty nasty.

As soon we get home,

You've got to led Dad clean it.

No! Don't tell Mom or Dad.

They'll wonder where I got it.

Come on. Let's get out of here.

What are you boys doing in here?

This is private property.

Do you know what happens to trespassers?

Nobody lives here.

They do now.

It's been bought.

I suggest you leave right now.

Yeah. Come on, Bart. Let's go.

I Just have to review

for my midterm next week,

and I'm set.

Good man.

What about you, Bart?

How'd you do on that geometry test?

Fine.

Oh, come on. You know we have

a "No Secrets" policy in this family.

I got a "C"

Oh, Bart...

Now, now, that's okay.

I got some "C"s in my day.

You can work through that.

You just have to study more.

Right, Jory?

You know what I think would really

help me work hard?

Is if I had a pet python to help

keep me company

while I study.

Again, no.

Nice try, though.

Honey, no, I'm not having those

things in my house.

Don't they eat mice and rats?

Oh, by the way, I heard that someone's

moving in next door.

-They are?

-Mm-hmm.

It's about time.

I hope they fix that place up.

As it is, it's really hurting our

property values.

I'm sure they will.

Boys, if you're finished,

Why don't you help Emma with

the dishes?

Yeah. Yeah.

Thanks, honey.

They're good kids.

We're blessed, aren't we?

We are.

Thank you, gentlemen.

That was good.

What's bothering you?

It's just thinking about little Cindy.

How is Melissa doing?

Not well.

The cancer's metastasized.

What happens when her mother dies, Chris?

There would be background checks,

interviews, people looking into our past.

There are ways around that.

Melissa wants it, too.

She's offered to have custody

transferred in her will.

Cathy, it's too risky.

Plus, we already have so many expenses.

The house, the car, the kids, Emma.

Please, Chris.

That little girl is all alone.

She has no one.

Melodie, you're shivering.

No, we can't.

Your parent's room is right there.

Come on. This way.

We're going to the attic.

-Jory!

-What?

They're here.

She looks like a witch.

She must be rich, though. Look.

That guy's her butler.

Let's get closer.

Bart!

Where are my scrapbooks?

I can't see anything.

Yeah, but I can hear people.

I'll unpack them tomorrow.

Come on. Let's get outta here.

This place is creppy.

It's okay, they won't see us.

-You don't think so?

-No.

We weren't spying. We swear.

We just live next door and

we saw somebody moving in.

Would you like to come in for some tea

and cookies?

Bart! Put that down.

John Amos!

John Amos?

Tea and cookies at once!

Good help is so hard to find these days

Is there something wrong with your face?

Bart, that's rude.

No, I like directness.

It shows strength.

My face long ago decided it would

reflect my regret.

What is that supposed to mean?

It means "Time Ravages."

Can't you fix it?

Bart.

There's no point

in trying to bring back what's gone.

I am but a nun.

Where'd you get all this money from?

Again, rude.

It's family money.

Passed down from my father.

But money isn't everything, Bart,

Especially when you don't have

anyone to share it with.

You don't have any family?

I did once, but not anymore.

Now it's just me and John Amos.

He used to serve Malcolm, my father.

John Amos, the polaroid.

Ah.

Can I have a picture with you?

Why do you want a picture of us?

Stand over here.

You're both so full of life.

You remind me of myself when I was your age.

Smile for the camera.

Done.

What is that?

The painting.

That picture I told you that wasn't

to be seen, you idiot.

It must have been the movers.

Put it in the office. Out of sight.

-As you wish.

-Now!

Boys!

Can I get another photo?

Stand right there.

Thank you.

This will be much better.

It's just darling.

I guess.

I'm going to keep this.

I want to see more of you in person.

Would you consider taking after-school jobs

to help me unpack and tend to my greenhouse?

I have ballet classes, so that would be hard.

He has a girlfriend, too.

Bart!

I'm sure the girls love you, too, Bart.

Not really.

Well, they will.

Well, what do you think about the job?

Well, we should have check and make sure

it's okay with our mom and dad first.

You mean Cathy and Christopher?

How did you know their names?

I was told by the realtor.

And I'm Mrs.Foxworth.

Well, we'd better get going.

It's getting pretty late.

Think about those jobs.

Yeah.

Come on, Bart.

Bart?

Why don't you come back sometime?

Just you.

Just me?

I think you know how special you are.

And special people deserve special attention,

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