I apologize in advance for the slow chapter, but I still hope you enjoy!
Night came in without hesitation. The soft glow of the setting sun laid upon the museum, as the last of the patrons shuffled out. Through the leaving crowd, came the night guards and their children. Jewel held onto her son's hand, Amenemhet excitedly leading his mother up the stairs. Ahk had been busy bouncing Elsie, their one year old daughter. He couldn't help but smile as his son made his way to the top.
"Grandma and Grandpa are gonna be awake soon!" the little boy insisted as they finally approached the top.
"We have time, buddy," his mother giggled.
"They've been talking all week about seeing two kids," Ahk told his son," They've been talking about a certain someone's big fourth birthday."
"Am!" Elsie pointed to her brother.
The parents nodded to their daughter, and entered the museum. Their children had always been fascinated with the artifacts in the museum. Am watched Rexy happily, exclaiming the dinosaur's name over and over again. Elsie reached her tiny hands around, trying to grab any nearby artifact. The night guards were touched that their children had loved the museum, and the history behind them. For both, they felt a sense of pride.
"Ah!" Dr McPhee came from his office," Jewel and Rami. There's two of my favorite nightguards."
"Your only nightguards," Jewel mentioned with a smile.
"I hope you don't mind," Ahk placed Elsie, while Am ran to his mother," we've brought the kids along. Am turned four today."
"Why, Happy birthday!"
Dr McPhee showed true excitement as he talked with the son. Jewel slipped away from the conversation. Ahk kept the children and director distracted, knowing where his wife went off to. She slipped to the loading dock, the heat sweltering in the back. Her key shone in the light as she unlocked the big doors. Awaiting her, stood her mother and step-dad. Larry held onto wrapped boxes as he stumbled in. His wife greeted her daughter with a smile and the cake.
"Thanks for baking, mom," Jewel smiled," Amen is gonna love it!"
"Nothing is too good for my grandson," she pointed out.
"Oh!" Jewel helped Larry set the presents down," Thanks dad."
"We weren't sure if he wanted an action figure set or the Batman car," Larry admitted as he set the boxes down," so we got him both."
Soon after, Nicky and his wife came in, shutting the door behind them. The family gathered their gear and headed to the elevator. The crew quickly made their set up just outside of the Egyptian exhibit. Jewel glanced out of the window. The sun would be going down soon.
"I'm gonna go get Ahk and the kids," she told her step-dad," when the others wake up, have them hide in the Egyptian room. When I say the code word, you'll all jump out."
"What's the code word?" Nicky questioned as he put up the balloons.
"Birthday," the family said altogether.
Smiles spread across all of their faces. Jewel quickly went to find her family, who had just walked away from McPhee. Thirty seconds to sunrise. She waited by the elevator, excited to see the happiness on her son's face when the group awaited him. When they got onto the second floor, the sun had finally set. Rexy was off to play around, as he had not seen the family.
"Bye Rexy!" Elsie squealed as the family watched the dinosaur walked by.
The room shook as he swiftly left the room. The four crossed along the long hallway, Jewel distracting her son with each step. The party had piled into the Egyptian exhibit room, as the family approached the end.
"Are you ready for your big surprise?" she asked Amen.
"Yeah!" the boy nodded enthusiastically.
"Happy birthday!"
The family turned the corner and (humans and exhibits alike) greeted the birthday boy. His eyes lit up, and pure happiness radiated his face. Ahk and Jewel stood close together. The warmth of the entire museum family came together as the Meren and Shep walked over to the four. The king had something behind his back, and a smile on his face.
"Grandpa!" Amen ran over and hugged the king.
"Amenemhet," the king said joyously," I wish you a happy birthday! Now that you have turned four, it is time you have dawned one of the family heirlooms."
From behind his back, the king pulled out a large bronze spear. Jewel and Ahk felt their eyes grow wide as their son excitedly held the weapon in his tiny hands. Snakes were etched in the sides, with ruby eyes and a sentence that the little boy couldn't pronounce.
"What does that mean?" he asked his grandfather.
"It means 'revenge on the wicked'," he explained," you can poison your enemies just by pointing it towards them. Now, my little grandson can get the perfect revenge."
"I'm gonna be the king when I go to school!' Amen shouted.
Ahkmenrah ducked the spear head. He took the weapon gently from his son, while his father's confusion grew clear. He didn't understand why his grandson could not be trusted with the spear, especially since it was a part of the family for years to come.
"He's a bit too young for a weapon of such power," Jewel admitted," perhaps we should wait until he hits middle school."
Although he disagreed, Meren nodded his head and took back the spear. The party had been well loved by Amen, who laughed and jumped around with the children in the museum. The night went on and on, and after they had cake (to which the son promised to keep his wish a secret) the energy decreased. Soon after, all of the children had fallen asleep next to Atila, whose snores were louder than the footsteps of Rexy. The family began the clean up, sweeping and storing extra food.
"How have you been feeling?"Jewel asked Alexandria," Have you got the baby's room set up?"
"Oh yeah!" Nicky's wife nodded," The baby should be here any time soon."
"Yeah," Nicky nervously spoke, then quickly changed the subject," Hey, did you guys hear about Dr. Rutherford Gizmo coming to town?"
"Who?" Jed questioned.
Jewel's eyes lit up at the sound of the historian's name. She had been a fan since his work came up, in a book about Egyptian history and ancient tales. Right away, she rambled about her favorite historian, and the legacy he was leaving. Ahk smiled as his wife went on, recalling the books he wrote and the interviews he had with several other historians.
"He's written books about Romans and cowboys and-" she stopped herself," well, a lot of historic moments."
"Do you think he would come to see the museum?" Deborah brought up.
"If he does," Jewel mentioned," I hope I'd be the first to meet him."
After the family cleaned up and headed home, Jewel kept her mind on the historian. She had been a major fan of him since she was little. He was the hero she always hoped for. Her book had been out for a while, and she wondered if he had read it. Her eyes glanced at the children, who were fast asleep in the back seat. Ahk, who had been driving, looked to his wife.
"You alright?"
"Hm?" she looked to her husband,"Oh, just thinking. Do you think Dr. Gizmo would've read my book?"
"Of course!" Ahk reassured Jewel," Juliet, your book is well known. If he hasn't read it, I'm sure his family has talked about it. If we, when we meet him, I'm sure the first thing he'll talk about is your book."
The author smiled at her loving husband, and kissed him on the cheek. She hoped that Dr. Gizmo would appear to the museum- and soon.
