A/N: The Folcharts belong to Cornelia Funke. The Steinblocks belong to me.
Chapter 2: If You Can't Stand the Heat
Tim Steinblock was busy scolding his 12-year-old daughter Hilda and his 9-year-old son Wilbart for mischief they caused on an errand.
"You two caused nothing but trouble at the market today," Tim said furiously. "First, you complain that you're tired. So you decide to lean on the bread display, and you knock it over. Then you make the boxes of rice to fall down like dominoes. Then you decide to drum on the oatmeal boxes, and you knock those down, too. What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Hilda was trying to think of the correct answer. "Uh... I was nervous?"
"Yeah!" agreed Wilbart. "Mom has a way of making us nervous."
"Don't blame your mother!" Tim said sternly. "You need to learn to control yourselves. As a consequence, you're not allowed to go shopping for a long time."
"How long is 'long'?" asked Hilda.
"Until your mother and I think you're mature enough to be in a store. "
Hilda and Wilbart grumbled. At that moment, Sylvia, Tim's wife, entered the dining room.
"Tim," she said. "we have company."
The father and children walked over to the foyer. Standing at the front door were Mo and Meggie.
"Hello, Mr. Steinblock," Mo said cheerfully. "My name is Mortimer Folchart, and this is my daughter Meggie. We came here to give you this letter which was accidently mailed to our house."
Mo handed the letter to Tim. Tim opened the letter and read it to himself.
"Oh, wow!" Tim exclaimed "Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me."
"I wonder what Dad got that makes him so happy," whispered Wilbart to his sister.
"Well I happen to know where that letter is from," Meggie replied. " Paris, France."
[End of chapter 2.]
A/N: The next chapter is where it starts to become a crossover. Feel free to review.