ilyiw: Cage Bats, Kissing, Cooking & Conundrums
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).
This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.
Enjoy! Please read and review.
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A/N Forward:
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This is, indeed, another entry in the "if lovin' you is wrong" multi-verse.
The idea can be blamed on kt and the story she asked me to beta: no idea how it happened, but it did. I fully suspect she let loose a pack of pregnant plot bunnies in my study and giggled while she did it.
I tell people: write what you know, so this is a spin-off from the Blue Eyes, Shining arc. The question came up: What would have happened if the Lowardians had used biological weapons?
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iyiw: Cage Bats, Kissing, Cooking & Conundrums
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Chapter 2: …someone special, this way gives…
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(Five years later)
Zita had seen the coffee shop 'opening soon' signs as she drove to MIST each day, but she had missed the grand opening. Two weeks after the grand opening, on a Saturday morning, she decided to try it and see if it was 'all that.'
She pulled into the three-quarters-filled parking lot and stopped her car in the first open slot. Stepping out, she smoothed her sun dress down and, after closing her car door and locking it, headed across the parking lot. Her low heels clicked on the concrete as she approached the front door.
She stopped in front of the door and laughed: the door had a sign on it that read: door sign under construction…but, we're not. She walked inside, and a slender ('almost skinny', Zita thought) young woman greeted her. "Welcome to Lontaine's Café and Java Bar," she smiled. "My name is Olivia. Are you waiting for someone?"
"No, just me: I decided I wanted to see what was in here and if the coffee was any good," Zita grinned, and Olivia smiled. Zita grinned inside: she could tell that Olivia had just had her braces removed. 'Her mouth still moves like they're there: just like I remember,' she thought to herself. 'And, that explains the skinny,' she chucked inside, remembering her own braces time and what happened after she had them removed.
"Well, let me take you to the Owners' booth so you can truly enjoy the experience," Olivia replied and led her to a booth, resplendent in leather ('Oh, my' Zita thought: 'It's Corinthian; abuela would have loved it!'), away from the coffee bar seats, and waited until Zita sat before handing her a menu.
Zita opened it and was surprised to find a full breakfast spread along with several breakfast coffee offerings and some blends, as well. She glanced at the menu and realized that she was starving.
When Olivia returned ("I decided that you needed a personal touch," she grinned) with water and silverware, Zita ordered Huevos Rancheros "with extra guac," she smiled; a chorizo, potato, and egg burrito; a large grapefruit juice; and a Mexican coffee, "morning version, please and thank you," Zita laughed. She wanted the coffee and the spices, but no tequila this early in the morning…at least, not today.
Olivia nodded and walked away.
A young black man, wearing what Zita was certain was a very expensive tailored suit, approached the booth. "Forgive me, but I couldn't help but hear your order," he smiled, and Zita could see the same thing in his eyes that she had seen in hers every morning for over three years. "Are you, by any chance, a Middleton native?"
"No sir, I'm not," she replied, and his face sank, "but I did go to high school here. Why do you ask?"
"You said something that a friend of mine says: 'Please, and thank you,'" he replied.
'No way could he know Kim: he's too young,' she thought. "A friend of mine says it, even today," she continued, and he looked even more curious.
"And, may I ask who?" he inquired.
"Kim Possible," Zita said, and his face lit up with recognition.
"You went to MHS, then," he grinned. "You knew Kim and Ron," he added
"Yes, they are still friends of mine: why do you ask?"
"I thought you looked familiar," he said as he scrunched his face up in thought for a moment or two, and then he grinned even bigger than before as his memory flashed. "Malcolm Nevius and the 'Immersion Caps,'" he used air quotes, and Zita laughed.
"How did you know about that?" she asked.
"I was a lot younger, and a 'bit chubbier' back then," he grinned. "Perhaps you'd remember me if I wore Wizard's garb from 'Everlot' and waved a wand," he smiled and waved his hands.
Zita's face immediately lit up in recognition. "Wade!" she jumped up and hugged the young man.
He hugged her back and enjoyed the hug. 'Wow, she was pretty on the monitor and in Everlot, but she's gorgeous now: she's only gotten prettier,' he thought. He then realized where his hand was, and he pulled it further up her back and squeezed gently, hoping that she wouldn't be upset. 'It's been too long,' he thought sadly as he signaled and she released him, motioning him to join her in the booth.
As he sat, she asked: "Have you kept up with 'Everlot' lately, Dr. Load?" she smiled, and Wade laughed.
"Wade, please," he said, and she nodded. "I went in a few months ago for the first time in years," he admitted. "The 'Tunnel Lord'," he grinned: "I mean, the Lord and Lady of Everlot were both in there," he added, and Zita laughed.
"I suppose that they own the Magic Kingdom, now," Zita dead-panned. Wade was quiet for a moment, and then the grin that assaulted his face turned into a full-blown belly laugh.
"Who would have ever suspected Rufus and Debutante," she asked, and Wade just smiled.
"I've been busy since the Lowardians with my job and all, and other things," Wade added, and Zita leaned forward.
"I missed you teaching Intro to Comp. Sci. that first year," she admitted. "I took light loads then," she added.
"You had a lot on your plate, with Felix," he nodded, and Zita looked up in surprise. "Oh, yes, Zita, I remember you two quite well. I had kinda hoped that Monique would end up with Felix, but you had him hook, line, and sinker. He told me how much he cared about you while we were doing the research."
"He told you?" Zita looked surprised, and Wade reached across the table and took her hands in his.
"Zita, if you didn't know that Felix Renton was madly, head-over-heels, crazy-in-love with you, you were totally clueless: here's a Clue Bunny." Wade smiled and lightly pressed his thumb to her forehead, and Zita's face lit up. "That's why it nearly killed him to break off the engagement when he learned he was infected: he didn't want to even takethe million-to-one chance that he might infect you.
"It almost killed him, being away from you for all those months," Wade continued, "but he kept telling me that he didn't want to save a world without his Zita in it," he smiled. "You had him, bad," he laughed, and she laughed with him.
"So, are you not teaching, anymore?" she asked.
"I'm still teaching," he replied. "I'm just helping Mom out here on Saturday mornings," he said, and she stared.
"This is your mom's place?" she asked, and he nodded. "So: the name?"
"It was her nickname for my Dad," Wade replied.
"Was?"
"He was one of the 200, Zita," Wade replied, and Zita squeezed his hands.
"I'm so sorry, Wade: I didn't know."
"That damn virus went after him, with his MS, like Rufus in a Swiss cheese shop," Wade laughed. "At least, he didn't suffer," he continued.
"Dr. Load?" Zita looked up and saw a young woman standing at the table, holding a book.
"Yes?" Wade looked up, and recognition crossed his face after a moment. "Meredith? Meredith Greene?"
"Yes," she smiled, then held out her hand and showed her wedding ring. "It's Box, now," she smiled even bigger.
"Congratulations!" He stood and offered her a hug, and she hugged him. "How have you been, Meredith?"
"Better, now," she grinned. "I still miss your Dad, Dr. Load. Those years in his classes and working as his assistant helped me more than I could have imagined."
She looked at the booth and smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," she nodded at Zita.
"No big," Zita replied with a smile.
"Another Middleton native," Meredith grinned. "Don't you people say anything that Kim Possible hasn't said before?"
"'Booyah?'" Zita offered, and this time, Meredith laughed.
"Meredith, can I get you a seat?" Wade realized that she had been standing the entire time.
"No, thanks, Wade," she replied, "unless you can get a table for four," and she stepped aside to reveal...
"Dr. McBride!" Wade exclaimed, and she stepped forward and shook Wade's hand.
"Dr. Load, congratulations on the opening," Dr, McBride smiled. "I've heard nothing but good things about the food and coffee here, especially the chorizo, so I brought my husband and our newest faculty member with me for some burritos, and to celebrate."
"Newest faculty member…and celebrate?" Wade asked, and she smiled.
"The MIST Board of Trustees extended me the offer of a five-year contract, with options, as Chancellor and President of MIST, and I accepted," she smiled broadly, and her husband's arm wrapped itself around her waist.
"Congratulations, Dr. McBride. Zita, Dr. McBride-" Wade started, and Zita cut him off as she stood.
"Wade, give me a break," she grinned. "I know all about Dr. Lupe McBride, the youngest Chancellor/President of a major university in the state's history, and the first Hispanic female, to boot. Dr. McBride: congratulations. You give all of us a wonderful role model," she said as she shook her hand.
"And, as Chancellor, I chose to have a breakfast burrito with my newest faculty member in her new job," Dr. McBride grinned.
"Newest…" Wade looked confused, and Meredith laughed.
"You?" he asked, and she nodded.
"And, in the Ryan Load chair, to boot," she added, and then she put her hand on her mouth as if she'd let out a secret. "Oops: Sorry, Dr. McBride."
"That's all right, Meredith: I was going to tell him, anyway," she laughed.
"'Ryan Load' chair?" Wade asked, and Dr. McBride nodded.
"The Board also approved the request by several benefactors to fund and offer the Ryan Load Chair for International Relations – new faculty, and Meredith is the first recipient of the position," she beamed, and Wade fell back in the booth, stunned, and lowered his head.
"You managed to keep that a secret, Dr. McBride," he lifted his head, and there were tears on his face. "Thank you," he said, standing.
"No thanks are necessary, but I would like to try those wonderful burritos I've heard about," she replied.
"Ma'am, if you'll come with me, I'll make certain you get a chorizo burrito," Olivia said, having come up, menus in hand, when she saw the group at Wade's booth.
Olivia managed to guide the foursome to a spot three tables away, but still in the prime seating area. Meredith, her husband, Dr. Point, and her husband all sat down and opened the menus that Olivia handed them.
She came back by Wade. "Are you all right, Boss?" she giggled, blew him a kiss, and headed for the kitchen.
"What was that?" Zita asked with a chuckle.
"Old flame, sorta," Wade laughed. "She's got the 'heart of a Possible' in her hot little hands now: Jim Possible is doomed, but what a way to go," Wade laughed.
"So, you didn't know about the chair?" Zita asked as they sat, and Wade shook his head 'no'.
"The last time I remember seeing Meredith was at the memorial that his students had for him when the Spring Term started, after Dad died in late December, that year. Some of the students came to the funeral, but most were away and hadn't heard until they got back on campus," Wade explained. "Mom and I got separate calls to the Dean's office, and we were told that Dad's students as well as faculty members, both from MIST and other universities, had requested our permission to hold a memorial service for Dad.
"We had no idea what they were going to do, and we were shocked at the attendance: students and faculty from the Big 3 Ivy League schools, UCLA, Notre Dame, the Universities of Texas, Miami, and, Chicago, Thunderbird, and Austin College all spoke about their encounters with Dad and his 'Mock Security Council' sessions. I wasn't sure how Mom would take it, but she asked for a copy of the video: she said she'd never expected to laugh that hard, that long."
"So, she was all right with it?" Zita asked, and Wade nodded. "How was she, before the memorial?"
"Mom had taken Dad's death harder than I realized, it seemed: she didn't do any art for months. The good news was that the service gave her impetus to, a couple of months later, come back with a vengeance. She put out more pieces in six months than she had in six years: the galleries were past ecstatic and I was so happy to see her going strong, again. When she told me that she wanted to open a restaurant and coffee bar for Dad, I agreed immediately and helped her put it all together."
"Wait," Zita smiled. "I remember Ron and Kim saying something about you dating someone. What happened to that cute redhead, Wade? Wasn't she Kim's cousin or something?"
"Yeah, she's Kim's cousin," Wade reached for his coat collar and pulled, reminding Zita of Ron when he had to tell something difficult. "We dated for a long time and got really serious, Zita, but something got in the way," Wade grinned.
That was too much for Zita to take: "What got in the way, 'Doctor' Load?"
Wade reached inside his coat pocket, pulled out his wallet, and showed Zita a picture. "A wedding, actually," he grinned, and Zita saw Rachel Load and Slim Possible, standing at an outdoor spot, Slim in a Western Tux, and Rachel in a long, beautiful off-white wedding dress. "We decided not to mess things up," he explained, "by trying to explain how Joss and me were dating and also being step-siblings," he grinned.
"Ewwww," Zita groaned, and Wade laughed.
"I'm still helping her with BlazeIT!, just not with 'other things,'" Wade used 'air quotes', and Zita laughed.
--
Zita came back the next day for a late Sunday brunch.
Well, that was her official reason.
The real reason: she couldn't get her mind off Wade.
'He's smart, cute, fun to talk to, and an amazing man: what's not to like?' she asked herself as she walked into Lontaine's.
'But, he's so young,' another part of her said.
'But, he's so mature, and so darn cute,' the first part replied.
"Excuse me," came from a voice as she ran into the person walking beside her.
She looked up and grinned: "Ron Stoppable?" she asked.
Ron's smile was still there, and it was still infectious. "Zita?" he asked, and then he pulled her into a hug.
"Zita, how the heck have you been?"
"I'm fine, and it appears you are, too," she replied. "Extremely fine, I might add," she smirked, and Ron's ears and face both turned red. "Besides, what are you doing eating Mexican somewhere besides BN?"
"Oh, I still eat there, but I have to support the 'home team' sometimes," he replied. "Besides, Kim loves the cabrito salad here," he added with a grin and flashed his wedding band.
"How is Kim?" Zita asked.
"Kim is fine," Kim replied, coming up behind Ron and wrapping her arms around his stomach. "I love him, and I just love his new abs," she grinned, squeezing Ron and generating a yelp from him.
"KP!"
"Uh, uh: remember, it's KS now," she smiled and held up her own wedding ring.
"You'll always be my KP," Ron smiled and leaned back to steal a kiss from Kim.
--
Wade came out of the kitchen with one thing on his mind, and it wasn't particle physics:
Zita.
'I've not felt this way in a long time,' he thought, stopping to check the final prep station before the meals were brought out. 'Her smile, her eyes, and her laugh: I haven't felt like this since Joss.
'Could it be? Nah: I'm too young for her, and besides: she probably has men lined up out the Ying-yang, begging for dates,' he thought as he pushed open the swinging doors to the dining room….
…and, there she was, talking to Kim and Ron.
'I didn't think she could be any more beautiful than I remembered; obviously, Dr. Load, this time you were incorrect,' he laughed inside as he took in her long, brownish-black hair and her figure. 'It's not the sundress, but she lights up my imagination,' he grinned, looking at her lime-green blouse and blue-jean skirt.
Ron caught Wade's look. 'The Wade-man's got a thing for Zita, huh?' he grinned inside and winked at Wade.
Wade was successful at not sputtering at Ron's unspoken remark. "Welcome back, Ms. Flores," he announced, and Zita turned with a start and a smile.
"Why, thank you, kind suh," she said with a deep-Southern drawl and curtsied, and Kim and Ron both shot out laughs.
"That deserves the Owner's booth," Wade laughed, but his eyes were on her face. It seemed to pull him, closer and closer, demanding further examination, both visual and tactile….
"Ron, I think 'four's a crowd,' so we'll leave now," Kim smiled and pulled Ron in the direction of the exit. "Zita, we need to catch up, K?"
"Sure, Kim: besides, I need to learn more about your ab investigation techniques," Zita smiled, and Ron blushed as Kim swatted him on the rear and pushed him out the door, waving at Zita.
"Well, they were subtle," Wade smiled as he escorted Zita to the booth and sat, across form her, after she sat down.
"Wade," Zita started, and Wade looked up at her.
"Wade, I don't know what I'm feeling right now, but I want to spend some more time with you. After Felix, I learned never to waste time being coy," she smiled, but Wade could see the hurt in her eyes that flashed for an instant. "So, whaddya say, Doc: can I call you?"
"'You can call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me,' Zita," Wade replied without a moment's hesitation, and Zita snorted. "Seriously," he added in a Motor-Ed voice, and Zita laughed.
'I love that sound,' he thought.
"I'd like that very much, Zita," he continued, pulling a smile from her. "I have to tell you: I didn't sleep well last night, and it was all your fault, Zita: I haven't thought about anyone this much since Joss, and it scares me a bit."
"Same here with Wheel-man," Zita admitted, "but there's something about the connections, the common experiences that we have, that just feels right."
"And, at my age, I'm at my peak," Wade grinned.
"We'll just have to see about that…later, suh," she fluttered her eyelashes and reached across the table, grabbing his right hand.
The electricity that jumped from each of them to the other was the equivalent of a full charge from the Electro-Static Illuminator…
…and, they both liked it…a lot.
"So," Zita gave Wade a Shego-esque smirk, "what's good here…on the menu, I mean."
Olivia came running out of the kitchen when she heard Wade's massive shout, but all she saw was Wade, doubled over in laughter. She grinned and headed back to grab a basket of chips for a customer.
--
(Two months later)
"Wade," Zita said as she stopped in front of her apartment door. She turned and faced Wade, smiling.
"Wade, I had a great time: thank you, again," she said, squeezing his hand.
Wade squeezed her hand, released it, and turned to walk away.
That did it.
"Wade!" She shouted.
He stopped and turned to face her.
"What's wrong with me, Wade," she asked, her arms crossed over her chest. "Am I too ugly, or what?"
That did not help Wade's concentration.
"You're beautiful, Zita," he whispered.
She smiled. "So, why won't you kiss me?"
"?"
"You're such a young gringo, Wade," she laughed, reaching for his hand and pulling him to her.
"Zita, three PhDs doesn't make you an expert at dating. I've only seriously dated one girl, and I've not found anyone else since her that I was interested in," he said, then smiled. "That is, until now," he added.
"Well?" she asked.
"I had no idea if you liked me or not, and I didn't want to push you away."
Zita solved the problem.
She grabbed Wade's head in her hands, pulled him to her, and proceeded to give him 'Vertical CPR, version 3.0.'
When she released him, Wade's grin had 'not left the building'.
"Does that answer your question?" she asked with a knowing smile.
'Wow' was all that Wade could think of, but he managed to get out "oh, yeah," with a smile of his own.
"Good," she grinned, unlocking her front door and stepping inside.
She turned and looked back at him: "Are you coming?" she asked.
Wade grinned and stepped, not unlike a willing fly, into Zita's web.
The door closed, and a click of the lock was heard from the outside.
The door didn't open again until early the next afternoon.
--
(Three months later)
The afternoon sun was meandering to the horizon as the cab pulled up, stopping in front of the house.
The young woman opened the door and got out before the cab driver had a chance to turn off the engine. Popping the trunk lid with the remote release, he left the cab and went around to the trunk to remove the young woman's bag. He walked it up to the front door and rang the doorbell as she stood, breathing in the real outdoors for the first time in a long time and admiring the wonderful view. 'It's a lot like Texas,' she thought, 'only colder,' she shivered unconsciously.
The front door opened, and a tall, slender man with a handlebar moustache grinned. "Zita," he said, and she walked up to the porch and held out her hand.
"That won't do, little missy," Slim Possible laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
He released her with a grin. "Where's the soon-to-be ball and chain, if the rumors are true?"
"Wade's back at the restaurant, grading papers, I suspect," she replied, smiling inside at the reference. "I came up to see Joss, if that's all right," she explained as he paid the cabbie and picked up her bag.
He laughed. "Get the ex's approval, huh?"
"Something like that," she replied. "Really, I came up to get some more dirt on Wade," she continued with an evil grin as she followed Slim inside.
"Wehl, if anyone could give you the dirt on him, it'd be mah Sweet Tea," he chuckled as he closed the door.
"DADDY!" the voice came from above, and Zita looked up and saw the loft entrance at the head of the stairs. "Do you have to tell everybody?"
"Already heard it from Wade, Joss," Zita laughed. "Can I come up?"
"Shor'," she called back down, and Zita took her suitcase from Slim and headed up the steps.
Even though she had already talked to Joss on the phone about coming up, Zita was still more than a bit uncomfortable as she stepped off the last step and onto the floor of the loft.
She looked around, grinning at the images on the wall above the desk:
A much younger Joss and Wade, with their arms around each other's waist;
Joss, receiving her high school diploma;
Wade, kissing the newly-graduated Joss;
Joss, Wade, Slim, and Rachel, all standing beside a bench with mountains behind them, obviously in Montana: 'obviously taken at the wedding,' Zita thought.
"Ah'll be right out," Joss called, and Zita laughed as she heard the toilet flush. The door opened, and Joss stepped out.
Zita was surprised: this was no 14-year-old anymore, and definitely not a 'kid cousin' to Kim. This was a beautiful young woman, with a smile that could light up the room. She had a blue-jean skirt on that Zita was convinced must have given Wade several fantasies before they'd become step-siblings, and her BlazeIT! shirt was definitely not providing the same look that Kim's shirt had given Ron when she was in high school. This was definitely a woman who could not hide the fact that she was a woman. The tall boots that she wore, Zita grinned, were designed to emphasize her shapely legs 'and drive Wade, or any other man, crazy,' she giggled inside.
The only thing that was out of place was the cast on her left arm, held by a sling around her neck.
"Let me guess: one-on-one with a horse?" Zita asked, and Joss grinned.
"Bronco, actually: I zigged when I should have zagged," Joss laughed as she stepped forward and wrapped her right arm around Zita. "He got me on that last buck, just before the 8-second mark, and I cracked my wrist when I landed," She said calmly, then laughed. "Fooled ya; I tripped over a dang tree root, Zita. Ah'll be fine," she added when she released Zita, "but, that's not important," she said, generating a laugh from Zita.
"Girl, you've spent waaaay too much time with him," she chuckled.
"Well, we were gonna officially git engaged when I got my Bachelor degree," she explained, motioning for Zita to sit on the bed.
Joss caught the glint of the ring. "He finally did it, didn't he?" she asked, and Zita nodded with a smile. "Good," Joss laughed. "I told him that I'd hurt him if he didn't."
Zita put her suitcase down next to the bed and took a seat on the end. "Just how did your dad and Wade's mom end up together? Wade would never tell me; he'd just grin and tell me to 'ask Joss when you talk to her.'"
Joss laughed. "Wehl, it was mah fault, actually: Daddy was a basket case after Momma2 was killed, and Rachel was beside herself after Ryan died. I just kinda pushed the two of them together since they had known each other since Wade and I first got everyone together in DC before I visited Momma for the first time. I thought that they could help each other get over their grief: imagine mah surprise when I caught the two of them, lip-locked, on the front porch," She grinned.
"That's usually an indication that people are feeling better," Zita observed with a chuckle.
"Oh, they were feeling, all right," Joss replied with a smirk in her voice. "Ah'd never seen Daddy turn that red before, not since the times Ah caught him and Momma2 doing the same 'feeling' on the same porch," she added, and then laughed hard. "I told them that what they were doing was not on the menu, so they'd have to either change restaurants or change menus. Daddy threw his hat at me, told me to git, and slammed the door shut in mah face," she chuckled, and Zita grinned.
Zita sat back for a second and scrunched her face up in an inquisitive look. "Momma2…you mean, Dr. Elizabeth Director, correct?"
"That's Momma2," Joss said with a sad look flashing across her face that disappeared almost immediately.
"All I know was that she died after the Lowardians landed: did they kill her?"
"No, dangit," Joss spat out and then relaxed. "The dang aliens couldn't get to her, so it was our own people: specifically, some members of Global Justice that cousin Kim had recruited."
"The story never got out to the general public," Zita said, "but I heard a little bit of it: what happened?"
A loud growl, joined by a rumble that sounded like an approaching avalanche, came from Joss' stomach, and she grinned and blushed a bit. "Are you hungry, Zita? I kinda missed lunch, and I'm starvin'…as you can tell."
"What's for dinner?" Zita asked, standing up and following Joss to the stairs.
"Steak: of course," Joss called over her shoulder.
--
'That's not a steak,' Zita thought as Slim put the platter masquerading as a plate in front of her. 'Unless, he's serving family-style,' she smiled inside, but that smile was dashed when an equal-sized steak was placed in front of Joss, and a larger one was placed at Slim's place.
"Is this what Wade meant when he talked about the 'roast on a plate?'" Zita asked.
"The first time he saw one of Daddy's steaks, Ah thought his eyes were gonna bug out," Joss laughed. "That was that first Saturday after he arrived on Friday, but he learned after a week's worth of work, and he dived into it like everyone else that next Saturday."
"That reminds me, Sweet Tea: there's a new bunch of tenderfeet coming in this evening," Slim stopped and grinned, "or, is it tenderfoots? Ah never kin get mah feet grammar straight on that one," he laughed.
"I remember, Daddy," Joss sighed. "Ah just hope that there are some cute ones in this batch; that last batch howled at the moon," she added, and Zita stifled a laugh.
"Dr. Possible?" she spoke as he put the plates with the huge baked potato and the tossed greens salad in front of her.
"It's Slim, Zita; after all, we're gonna be family," he said with warmth.
"Slim, then," she stopped for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Slim, I suppose you've been told enough times, but you've raised an amazing daughter, all by yourself. And, after meeting Wade and Rachel, I understand even more where Joss came from."
"Whah, shucks, ma'am" he drawled, generating a snort from Joss. He laughed. "Thank you, Zita, but much of what you see in Joss is Joss and Wade, not me."
"The mesquite bean don't fall too far from the bush," Zita replied. "It's only carried by the bull and moves when and where he drops it," she smiled, and Slim let out a whoop.
"You must be from Texas," he laughed, and she nodded. "I've only heard Texans refer to the 'traveling bean show.'"
"Don't try to change the subject," she shook her fork at him as he sat down. She sliced a piece off the steak and lifted it with her fork. "Only a true father would have raised a daughter strong enough to decide that she and her fiancé needed to break up so their parents could be happy," and, with that, she took the bite of meat. "This is good," she added, smiling at a now semi-blushing Slim. "Cayenne, chipotles, and fresh garlic, correct?"
"Ah've tried to do right by Sweet Tea," Slim replied, garnering a groan and a giggle from Joss. "It was easy when she was younger, before she began to realize just how different her life was than her friends, being around all mah students and other scientists: all those people older than her. It really got bad when she began to understand much of what they were doing," he smiled, and Joss snorted. "Don't snort at me, Sweet Tea: Ah remember how hurt you were when your friends didn't want to come over here with all those college grad students around.
"I just wanted her to be happy, and Ah didn't know how Ah was gonna do it," he continued. "Ah had no idea what was gonna happen in mah life after mah niece and Ron came up here, together, and Joss began to realize just who Wade was….and, he her," Slim grinned, and Joss blushed.
They kept talking throughout dinner, mostly small talk about Joss and her final year of high school and first year of college. Slim watched Zita as she ate: 'that girl can put away food; there's got to be one of Squirt's black holes in her stomach,' he smiled as he watched her sop the last of the meat juices off the now bone-only plate.
"If this is what you're gonna do to me, every time I come up here, I've got to get in better shape," Zita grinned. "Did Wade learn to cook from you, Slim?" Zita asked, and Joss laughed.
'She sure would enjoy the Wade-aerobics,' Joss thought, and she blushed when the images invaded her mind.
"Oh, no," Slim replied with a smile. "He couldn't cook worth beans when he first came up here. He was more dangerous with kitchen utensils and appliances than Kim. He spent some time with me while he was here that first summer, and he learned more from his dad after he went back home. He was always partial to creating new things, but he became really interested in Mexican recipes, especially moles'; he could whip up a chicken mole' that would make you cry with delight."
Slim left for the kitchen, plates that he'd gathered from the carnage in tow.
"Wade likes your shape, pretty well, Ah hear," Joss said after her dad entered the kitchen, and she laughed when Zita blushed.
"He's a horn dog, isn't he?" Zita laughed.
Joss nodded. "Yeah, he is," she replied with a smile, "but he'll always treat you raght."
"I've already had examples, Joss: you trained him, real good."
"Well, I'd love to take the credit for it, but I jes' followed in the footsteps of his parents; they gave him the perfect example of a family, how a husband should treat his wife, and vice-versa."
"Rachel is pretty incredible, isn't she?"
"Oh, yeah," Joss laughed. "She is the best MILTB that you could get, and she's a perfect Momma3."
"MILTB? GF, you've been around Monique too long."
"Ah know," Joss smiled, "Monique is addictive. MILTB has threatened me with payback, though."
"Payback?"
"Yep," Joss' smile grew even bigger. "As she came down the aisle, escorted by Wade, I stood as she approached me and took her other arm when she came by.
"'Is this going to be a shotgun wedding?' she asked softly. I could see a big grin on her face, underneath her veil.
"It's back in Tornado's saddlebags, if Ah need it," I replied, and she let out a laugh as she approached Daddy.
"Who gives this woman in marriage?" the minister asked.
"Her son and I do," I announced, and Wade lifted her veil, kissed her cheek, took my hand, and then we sat down.
"Speaking of Mon," Joss continued, "just how did you get Felix away from her?"
"I didn't: he called one night, in tears, and asked if he could come over. We'd known each other since elementary school, but I lost track of him after Mom and Dad1 got divorced and Dad1 ended up a 'guest' of the State of Texas.
"I opened the door, and Felix flew in. He landed in front of my couch, fell out of his chair onto the couch, and started to bawl like a baby. I slammed the apartment door shut and ran to him."
"'What's wrong?' I asked him, and he finally told me after he stopped crying.
"His worst fear had come true: Monique had turned him down when he proposed to her before she left for college. She told him, as much as I could get through his sniffles, that she just wasn't ready for their relationship to go to that level.
"He found out, later, that she had met someone while she was visiting the college, and that she had fallen, hard, for him," Zita added.
"Wehl, that explains why Ah haven't seen mah Fashionista so much these past few months, and that explains the wedding invitation I got from her yesterday," Joss nodded, now having connected several pieces of the jigsaw puzzle in her head.
"Well, I held Felix for a long time," Zita continued, "and, then, one thing led to another, and I woke up the next morning with him in bed next to me, grinning like a full-blown idiot."
"Zita!" Joss laughed. "'Rebound girl?'"
"Hey, it may have been a rebound to some, but I prefer to think of it as Monique was the rebound from me…especially when I looked down and realized what I was wearing."
"What?" Joss asked, wriggling her eyebrows.
"You've been in BN too many times, GF," Zita laughed, and Joss tried, but failed, to look innocent.
"That silly 'Felix, the Cat' shirt that I'd given him at MTS, before Graduation," she smiled, and Joss let out a belly laugh.
"How'd you end up in that- no, don't tell me, I don't think I want to know," Joss laughed.
"His hands worked perfectly, and so did some other parts of his body," Zita smiled an evil smile, and Joss cut her laugh when she saw the kitchen door swing open.
"Got room for dessert?" Slim asked, bringing out a tray, filled with a massive cheesecake, covered in cherries.
Zita just moaned.
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What happens next, and what happened to Dr. Director?
Stay tuned for Chapter 3, the conclusion of ilyiw: Cage Bats, Kissing, Cooking & Conundrum: …gifts of the heart …
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2009.11.07
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