Chapter 2, The Separate Days

The next morning all the Loughrans were excited about their plans for the day. The men, Mike, Johnny, and Dennis were headed to San Jose to see Disney on Ice. Meanwhile, Mavis and Linda were going to get their nails done. "Mom, whatever you do, please don't spill the beans about what I said about Drac" Johnny said. "I don't want her worrying about it, since there isn't much that can be done about it. You two just have a good time getting prettied up."

"We will" Linda added, "and you guys have a good time with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy."

Mavis entered the room with her sunhat and sunglasses ready. "Ok, mom" she said. "I'm ready to go." She turned to Dennis, "Now whatever you do, Dennis, no using your powers. I don't care what happens, you let daddy and Papa Mike take care of it. Ok, honey."

"Yes mommy."

"We don't have to leave for another hour still" Johnny said to his mother. "I really wish that dad would let me drive, but you know how he is."

"I know dear, but try to have a good time."

The ladies left first for the salon. Linda had planned all along to have some alone time with Mavis, and now had something she thought they really needed to talk about, despite the request Johnny had made. During the drive to the salon, Mavis actually broached the subject first. "Mom, I get the idea that something is bothering Johnny, but he is either afraid to talk about it, or doesn't want me to know about it."

"You're right dear. He is afraid that you might take this the wrong way, but he is scared that your father is replacing him with all the vampire stuff. After all, there isn't much that Johnny could add on the subject, but he has always been insecure, especially with women in his life."

"I had a feeling that was it. Dennis has been spending a lot more time with my dad since his powers manifested themselves. I just wish he would have said something to me about it."

"He said that he would try to talk to you and your father when you got home after Christmas. He didn't want me to say anything, but since you brought it up, I think it will be ok. Just please don't tell him."

"Thanks, mom. I'm glad you invited me." However there was something else that Mavis was curious about as well. "Linda, can I ask how you and Mike zinged?"

"What was that honey?"

Mavis didn't realize that non monsters didn't refer to it that way. "The way the two of you fell in love."

"Oh, I'm sorry. We were in college at the University of Minnesota. We met in a history class. I ended up sitting next to him for a whole semester before he finally got up the nerve to ask me out. The truth was that I was smitten with him the moment I saw him. We were married about 2 years after that, and have been together ever since."

The two ladies spent the rest of the day getting manicures and pedicures. Linda went with her normal red nail polish, while Mavis stayed with the black polish.


The men left shortly after the ladies. "Come on" said Mike, "We can stop on the way and get something to eat. Dennis, what do you feel like?"

This was one of the first times that anyone ever asked Dennis what he wanted to eat, so he was unsure how to answer. Instinctively, his answer was, "Avocados."

"But what do you want the avocados on, my boy" Mike asked. "Would you like a burger, or salad, or anything else."

"I don't know."

Johnny added, "Mavis never asks him what he wants. She always just got it for him. Even here, she still dishes his plate."

"We can go for hamburgers, then" Mike said. "Dennis, you can get any toppings on it you would like."

The men stopped at a Fuddruckers for lunch before heading to the show. Dennis had never seen so many options in his life to put on a sandwich. They ended up putting a little of everything on a plate for him to try. Everything went over pretty well until he tried a JalapeƱo. "Owww! It feels like my tongue is on fire" Dennis screamed. He resisted using any of his powers because of what his mom said. He drank almost all of his Coke, and that was enough to cool off his tongue. After that, Johnny removed all the other hot peppers from his plate.

"If you didn't like that, then you definitely won't like these. They are even spicier" Johnny said. Other than that one incident the men's day went very smooth. It was a matinee on a Christmas Eve, so attendance and traffic was light, other than around the shopping centers. Dennis enjoyed seeing all the characters he recognized, and even a few he had to ask his dad about.

Everyone arrived back home about 8:00 PM and they had a few cookies and began to exchange gifts. Linda and Mike had agreed to skip going to Church this year, since they were unsure if their daughter-in-law could even enter one, without having something happen to her. Linda and Mike had gotten their grandson a bunch of movies he had wanted, and some clothes he didn't. About 10:00 Dennis went to sleep, and the adults stayed up a little later.

"Now honey" Johnny said to Mavis, "You may be unaware of the custom in the human world that on Christmas, we exchange gifts with the ones we love, so I do not expect you to have anything for me, but I saw this last night and thought you just had to have it."

Mavis opened the box, and inside was a pair of golden bat shaped earrings. "Oh, Johnny. You shouldn't have. They are so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you are right now" Johnny answered. "Thanks for making me the luckiest man in the world. Not only do I have a gorgeous wife, but I have a terrific son."

"And don't forget loving parents" Linda added.

"How could I forget you, mom and dad."