Chapter 2 - Reservations
The rest of the day went by fast. Remy and Linguini went outside with Colette to finally lock up. As Colette looked for the key, linguini walked up behind her and began to speak.
" Colette," He said tapping her shoulder.
" Ah!" Colette turned around as fast as she could. " Oh, You scared me! What is it?"
" Uh...Would, Do, Did" Linguini was at loss for words.
Colette gave him a confused face.
" Huh?"
Remy put his paw over his face as he watched from linguini's pocket. Linguini was always nervous to ask Colette out because he was scared of her saying no. Remy didn't think it was such a big deal, but to Linguini it was.
" Doyouwanttogotodinner?" Linguini blurted out all at once squeezing his eyes shut. He opened one and seen Colette with the same confused face.
" Linguini, could you speak english?" Colette chuckled.
" Sorry. I meant to ask you if...uh...Do you want to go to dinner?"
Their was a slight pause.
" Sure." Colette smiled.
Linguini gave a sigh of relief.
" Have you heard of l'Astrance?"
" You mean the best restaurant in paris!"
Remy gave a fierce frown to Colette.
" Besides our restaurant. Ours is the best, way better." Colette added with a smile. " Sorry Mon Chef. Yes, of course I've heard of it."
" Well" Linguini started. " I was able to get reservations for 9:00."
" What! How?"
" I have my ways" Linguini stood up straight with a great, goofy smile. "I can pick you up in 30 minutes. Wait... I don't have a car." Linguini blushed in embarrassment.
Colette began to laugh.
" How about I pick you up." Colette interrupted.
" Thanks Colette" linguini placed his arm on her shoulder.
...
The clock read 8:45, and Colette was still not ready.
"Oh, where is she? We're going to be late!"
Remy just lifted his shoulders and continued watching TV.
" Ok. shower, check. Teeth brushed, and suit and tie. I think I'm ready, right little chef.
He didn't answer.
Linguini sat on the couch next to Remy.
" I've seen this movie before. It's really good" He tried to get Remy's attention, but he just continued to watch the movie ignoring anything else.
" Why don't you listen to me anymore. We've been friends for 2 months now, and I know for a fact this is not how you usually act. What's happening? Is there something wrong?"
Remy shook his head.
" Well if there is anything you need, I'm here for you Little Chef. Oh, and thanks for getting me those reservations. I don't know how you did it." Linguini smiled.
A few seconds later, the doorbell rang. Linguini rushed to the door and seen Colette wearing a purple dress with a sweater and small heals. She had on blue gloves and the same colored scarf.
" Wow...Colette, you look beautiful!" Linguini said gesturing her in.
Colette smiled.
" Thanks. You look really good...uh...too."
" Thanks, we should be going. Not to rush you, but I don't want our reservation to be canceled."
" Oh, yeah. Bye Mon chef."
" Bye Little Chef. We'll be back at...Uh… 12:00, maybe."
Remy waved his paw and sat back on the couch. He felt bad for ignoring linguini. He was just tired. He heard a knock on the window, and got up to see who it was.
" Hey Remy!" Emile struggled to hold a box of candy canes. " A little help please!"
" Oh, ok." Remy opened the window and took the box on the countertop next to the sink.
" So, how has it been going little brother." Emile smiled and gave his brother a hug.
" Ok, I'm just tired."
" Well, you know Christmas is around the corner."
" Christmas! I forgot about that holiday!" Remy said sitting on the edge of the counter.
" Holiday? I thought it was just a day when people have a feast and throw out perfectly good food."
" Emile, how many times do I tell you. The food that is thrown out is garbage!" Remy explained
" Well, it taste good to me." Emile ate another candy cane.
"Uh, well anyway. Christmas is a holiday that humans celebrate. They put up decorations and a Christmas tree. They also make cookies and cook up a feast!" Remy cheered
" That sounds great! Especially the part about the feast!" Emile encouraged.
Remy began to think of an idea. Maybe he should help linguini decorate. Or he could put the decorations up for linguini as a surprise. That would be a great way to payback linguini for everything he's done for him.
" Hey Emile"
" yeah?"
" Could you tell Dad to bring the clan."
" Why?"
" Because, I have an idea!"
...
" What do you mean we're late!" Linguini said, his voice cracking.
" Sorry misure, we have given your table to another dinner. It is offley busy tonight"
" We better get a refund!" Colette said walking outside.
" Sir, do you understand that their is no refund."
Linguini gave a sigh " yes."
He walked outside and sat next to Colette on a bench.
" So what did he say" Colette started.
" Nothing" Linguini sighed
" So what did you want to do now?"
" I heard their was an Amusement Park somewhere around here. Maybe we should go."
" Sure, that's sounds fun. I'm going to stop at my apartment to change first. I don't really like wearing dresses. I just wore one for dinner."
" Ok" linguini agreed sitting on the motorcycle.
...
" Ok everyone!" Remy said to the clan. " Today we are going to decorate for Christmas. Now Christmas is a holiday. Not a day to collect leftover feast scraps. First we will start with the tree, which I put up as you can see. Your job Is to decorate the tree with tinsel, ornaments, and lights. I will put the star on top. Got it.
" Yes" the clan started heading towards the box full of decorations.
" Wait!" Remy added making the clan stop and listen. " I'm going to put you guys into groups. The group standing by the kitchen is team one. The group by the tree is team two. And the rest of you are team three."
Remy paused to think.
" Ok" he continued " team one will be handling lights, team two will be handling tinsel, and team three will be handling ornaments. Get to you stations everybody! Let's go, go, go! And remember to be careful with the ornaments!"
...
" This is crazy." Linguini gulped as he stepped into the ride.
It stood 107 feet tall, with twist and turns like a slithering snake.
" Why am I doing this?" linguini continued whispering to himself.
The ride began to move. Linguini held the handles and kept whispering " I'm not gonna die, I'm not gonna die…"
Colette looked at him and gave a small laugh.
The coaster continued to rise. As soon as it reached the top, linguini clenched Colette's hand, grabbed the rail, and scream as loud as he could.
" AHHHH" Almost everyone scream as they felt the ride drop.
All Colette could hear was the sound of linguini's scream and the ride dash through twist and turns.
The 107 foot tall coaster finally came to a stop. Linguini's eyes stared in shock, and Colette could barely feel her hand. They stepped out of the ride and linguini fled to a trashcan.
"Well there goes the pizza he ate earlier" Colette whispered to herself with a disgusted look.
...
The house was a disaster. There were tons on rat's scattering around the living room.
Crash!
" There goes another ornament." Remy sighed. The clock read 11:00. One hour until linguini was expected to come back. Remy sighed again. His plan was a complete failure. Remy looked at Emile who was eating a candy cane.
" Emile, how many of those have you eaten?"
" I don't know, about three...or four…" Emile was cut off by Remy.
" Or THE WHOLE BOX! Emile, you knew we needed those!"
" For what?"
" THE TREE!"
" oh."
Remy sat on the floor next to the tree. His eyes wandered around, then stopped at a rat. It had light tan fur that shined in the light.
" Who is that?" Remy thought.
She noticed him staring at her.
" Um…Can I help you Sir?" She said with a smile. Her voice was light, yet you could still hear strength.
Remy stopped staring. " Oh, no. I'm...uh fine."
" Oh well, nice to meet you I'm Nicolette. You can call me Nicole."
" Oh, nice to meet you Nicole. I'm Remy."
They shook hands.
" Well, it was nice meeting you. See you around."
She began to walk away, but Emile stopped her.
" Hey Nicole."
" Oh, Hi Emile! Is this your brother?"
" Oh ya, sorry if he was bothering you"
Remy gave him an rude look.
" Oh no, he's really polite."
"Well that's good."
Remy interrupted, "Wait you know her?"
" Well ya, we've known each other since we we're little kids."
" Oh wow."
Remy heard more ornaments break.
" Be careful with those ornaments! Same with the reef! Ug, those rat's just can't listen can they."
Nicolette gave a chuckle. " Well, I can help you."
" Ok" Emile interrupted, " I'll give you guys some space."
"Uh...ok. So, what brought you here Nicolette?"
" I just like Christmas. I see more than just food in the Holiday."
" Me too!"
" Really?"
" Ya, that's what I was trying to explain to fatty over their."
"That's what you call him?"
" No…I just said that now. Oh, nevermind."
" Oh, I also came because of the girls."
" What girls?" Remy began to give a concerned face.
" The ones I take care of."
" Wait, you have a husband?"
" Oh, no!"
" Oh." He gave a sigh of relief.
" I found them when they we're just tiny rat pups. They were adorable!"
" Aw. Where are they?"
" They could be anywhere!"
Remy gave a small laugh.
" MOM!" A small rat with brown fur scurried across the floor.
" MOM!" A smaller and lighter brown rat ran behind the first.
" Mom, She took my ornament!" the first rat cried.
" WHAT! Lier!" the second rat said nearly crying.
" Are these two the girls?"
" Yup, these are the girls." Nicole gave a sigh.
" Oh." Remy said smiling at them.
" Well, that's Evelyn" she said pointing to the brown rat.
" Hey Mommy, who…" the lighter brown rat was interrupted by her mom.
" And that one is Elenore. She likes to be called Elaina most of the time, but she doesn't care"
" They are both cute."
" Oh, trust me. Not all the time they are so sweet and innocent."
" Did you hear what you're mom said about you?" Remy smiled turning towards the two girls standing confused and silent.
" Uh…" one of the twins said standing close to her mom.
" You guys look pretty sweet to me."
" Thank you" Elenore smiled shyly at him.
" Well," Nicole interrupted " I think we'll be going now. The girls need to rest, and I need to get home and eat. I'm starving!"
" You may stay here if you like."
" No, it's fine. See ya around."
" Ok, bye."
Nicole began walking away with Evelyn and Elena.
" Wow." Remy said before being interrupted by Emile.
" Do you like her?"
" Ah!" Remy was startled by Emile
" Do you like her?" Emile repeated
" Well as a friend, yes."
" No, I mean do you like her like...uh, you know what I mean!"
" Maybe" Remy said as fast as he could. " Wait what! No, I don't like her!"
" Really, so that's why you we're talking to her for an hour."
" What? That's crazy. I wasn't talking to her for an hour. Wait. What time is it?"
" 12:15. Why?"
Remy heard the key clicking in the door.
" That's why!"
" I still don't get it."
" Oh, nevermind idiot! Hurry up and tell everyone to leave through that window. NOW!
" Ok." Emile did his task.
Remy looked around. He seen rat's scattering through a window. He seen broken ornaments on the floor. The Christmas tree was tilted to the right. A few seconds later, after all the rats were out except for himself and Emile, the door opened.
" Hey little chef! How's it goi…" linguini stopped and took a few seconds to look around.
" What the heck!" Colette added as she walked in. " What happened in here?"
Remy looked at both of them who were just standing there confused of what happened.
" Did you throw a party in here." Linguini started walking around. He stopped when he stepped on a broken ornament.
" Ow!" What is... SMOKEY! What did you do to Smokey! Oh no!" He's in pieces!" Linguini cried.
Smokey? Who the heck was Smokey. Remy thought to himself.
" Ok. You have a lot of explaining to do." Colette crossed her arms and looked him straight in the eyes.
" Well…" Remy tried to explain in the best sign language he could do. " I tried to decorate for linguini in apologie or me ignoring him, so I thought Christmas was coming soon. That gave me the idea of decorating. So I invited the clan over to help, but I got distracted. That is when they began ruining the decorations instead of helping. You guys came so fast, I didn't have a chance to clean up."
" Wow, you said that in just signs. I'm impressed" Colette said with a lighter tone
Remy nodded.
" But you still aren't getting out of trouble"
" Why little chef! This was my only childhood memory, and you broke it!"
Remy sighed. This was going to be a long night for him.
Thank you guys for reading this long chapter. I hope you enjoyed. And please review! I need advice. As you may see, I am only 13 and not the most talented writer. :D