"Ach! Ach! Stop it! Stop it! Don't touch it!"

Having applied the soothing salve to their affected parts, the boys had wasted no time getting in dressed. With nothing better to do, they were idly chatting about the day's events. Curiosity had gotten the better of Richard and he had been going over Colton's toy collection while they talked. He found a particularly interesting toy and made the mistake of picking it up to examine it more closely. That triggered Colton's current frenzied state. 

"What?" Richard turned to face the boy. "Calm down, Colton. It's just a toy. I'm not going to hurt it." 

Colton snatched the toy truck from Richard's hands. He checked it for damage and then carefully placed it back on the shelf. "Just stop it, okay? It's my stuff! Nobody is allowed to touch my stuff, Richard!"

Richard was going to respond but they were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Is everything okay in there, Colton?" Aunt Toni shouted through the door. She jiggled the knob. "Why is the door closed?"

Colton ran to the door and hugged his mom. "No, it's not okay!" he moaned, "Richard was touching my stuff."

Aunt Toni looked over her son's shoulder at the offender. She shook her head. "Oh, Richard, how could you?" she asked sarcastically. "I thought Mrs. Thornberry had warned you about that."

"I'm sorry, Aunt Toni," Richard shrugged. "I forgot."

"Well, never mind" she replied as she gently pried herself loose from her son's tight embrace. "There are some packages in Mrs. Thornberry's car. Could you boys bring them in, please?"

"Sure thing," Richard sighed. "Come on, Colton. Let's go."

Colton was not so easily placated. "That's it? You aren't going to punish him?" he protested.

Aunt Toni ushered them into the hall. "You're a very, very naughty boy, Richard."

"Mom!"

"Don't touch Colton's stuff, Richard."

"I don't believe this! It's my stuff!"

"Well, I guess you're just going to have to learn how to share, Colton. We have a new member of our extended family now."

There was some doubt as to whether that description of his current status in the clan was accurate. The feeling he had towards his benefactors was ambivalent, he couldn't tolerate Colton as an adult, and Colton didn't even seem to be a cousin. He chose the most innocuous reply he could. "Thank you, Aunt Toni...I guess."

" Richard, I know you've got a lot on your plate right now with your promotion and all, but I want you to know that if you ever have any problems, you can talk to your Aunt Toni and Uncle Donny."

"And what they can't help you with, I can!" Colton added with an evil grin. 

"You? You can help me by staying out of my way, you little weasel!"

Toni gasped. "Richard!"

Rather than being insulted, Colton put his hands on his hips like Superman and with a smug look, said, "Well, I guess my work here is done!" 

Richard put his hand out to move Colton along but then he sneezed. The recoil from the sneeze caused him to shove Colton a little too hard. Colton was indignant. "Hey, don't get your snot on my shirt!"

Richard didn't see any evidence but decided to tease his friend. He rubbed his hand all over Colton's back. "There, it's all gone, Co...Co...Co...achoo!"

Aunt Toni didn't like the sound of that. "Gracious, Richard! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Aunt Toni," Richard sniffed but then he sneezed again. Aunt Toni grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around. She pressed her hand against his forehead and her eyes popped. "Dear me, Richard, you're burning up!"

Richard struggled to break away. "Really, Aunt Toni, it's nothing. I'm fine," Richard sniffed as his eyes began to tear up.

"Nonsense, Richard. You're going straight to bed. Now march!"

"But the packages..."

"Colton and his father will take care of that. But right now, it's off to bed with you." Aunt Toni backed up her order with a sharp swat to his still sensitive behind and that was the end of any resistance.