GUESS WHO'S COMING FOR DINNER? – PART THREE

A few weeks later, it was almost time for school to start and Jamal was walking down the street with his old friend, who had a red bandanna wrapped tightly around his head. They laughed together as they made their way to the Fernandez bodega.

"All right Rob," Jamal said. "Admit it. You had Ghostwriter helping you win that bet, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," Rob said. "I don't go making bets with my dad without knowing it's a sure thing."

"So what did he find that proved it was her?"

"Love letters," Rob grinned. "One of which mentioned how her kid brother went a little nuts when she gave him a computer."

"Right," Jamal said. "That's when Ghostwriter first showed up…and when I found out not everyone can see him."

"Well it was enough evidence for me," Rob said. "And telling Dad that I'd play at least three different sports got him to take the bait."

"Brilliant," Jamal said. "So how are you going to break it to the team?"

"You'll see."

They went into the bodega, where Alex was reading a detective novel behind the register. He looked up at Jamal and then looked up again when he spotted Rob.

"Wait a minute…" Alex said.

"There's a nice twist at the end of that one," Rob said, looking at the book.

"But…what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"Thought I'd buy a banana," Rob said.

Jamal laughed as Alex stared at Rob, who wandered over to the produce section.

"Gaby!" Alex called. "Tina! Come out here!"

Rob picked up a bunch of bananas as the two girls came out of the back.

"What is it?" Gaby asked.

"Do you have to buy all of them?" Rob asked, looking at her.

Gaby and Tina gasped as Jamal laughed harder. Alex shook his head as Rob put the bananas back.

"They never let you buy just one," he said casually. "Where's Lenni?"

"She's upstairs moping," Tina sighed.

"What's she moping for?"

"Tuan just left for college," Gaby said.

"And broke up with her," Tina sighed.

Rob raised an eyebrow and gave a nod.

"Sounds like she could use some cheering up," he said. "Mind if I use the phone?"

Alex waved his hand to the phone and Rob dialed it.

"Hey Lenni, it's Rob," he said. "Yeah, I'm all good….How are you?...He did huh?...Well if he doesn't appreciate what a fantastic girl you are, that's his problem…Well of course I called to cheer you up…Oh I'm not calling from Australia…I'm downstairs."

Rob grinned and hung up the phone before looking at his watch.

"Three…two…one…"

"ROB!"

Rob laughed as Lenni ran in and hugged him. She then glared at the others, as Jamal was laughing heartily although Alex held up his hands.

"Don't look at us," Alex said. "He just waltzes in here and asks to use the phone."

"And if he can buy a banana," Gaby sniggered.

"So I'm hungry," Rob shrugged.

"So buy an apple," Alex said, tossing him one.

"Yeah," said Tina. "And tell us what you're doing here."

Rob paid for the apple and bit into it as Jamal leaned on the counter.

"Well…remember how I told you Danitra's boyfriend is moving here?"

"Yeah," Tina said.

"But…Rob isn't her boyfriend, is he?" Lenni asked.

Rob choked on the apple and Alex slapped him on the back. Jamal laughed and shook his head.

"No no no," he said. "Rob's brother is her boyfriend. He just finished college and is moving into Rob's old house."

"And you get to stay with him?" Alex asked Rob.

"Yep," Rob said. "But I had to win a bet first."

"What kind of bet was this?" Lenni asked.

"I just told Dad that my brother's girlfriend might possibly be the sister of my old buddy Jamal," Rob said. "And said I would go out for track, ice hockey, and baseball if I was wrong."

"He also cheated," Jamal said.

"Ha!" Gaby laughed. "You had Ghostwriter make sure it was her, didn't you?"

"Can you blame me?" Rob asked.

"I thought you liked Australia," Tina grinned.

"Australia's fine," Rob said. "But I'm not gonna pass up the chance to come back to you guys. Not when the opportunity just falls right into my lap."

Everyone laughed as Jamal turned to Rob.

"Well come on," Jamal said. "Casey's rather eager to meet you."

"And you haven't seen Hector yet, have you?" Alex asked.

"Not yet," Rob said. "He playing handball again?"

"He should be," Alex said. "And uh…Victor Torres was playing basketball around there too."

"Oh he is?" Rob grinned. "This is gonna be fun."

Later in the day, Rob returned home exhausted and panting. Jason was sitting with Danitra in the living room and they both looked at him.

"What you been doing?" Danitra asked.

"I think he saw Victor," Jason said.

Rob nodded and flopped down on the couch.

"Forgot how fast he is," Rob said. "Tackled me at the handball court…and Hector just stood there laughing and saying I deserved it."

"You probably did," Jason said.

"I guess," Rob said. "Then I got to Jamal's house…and that cousin of his gave me a sandwich full of worms."

"Oh for…that Casey!" Danitra scolded.

"Aw, it's nothing," Rob grinned. "I got her back by eating it."

Danitra laughed as Jason shook his head.

"You'd better go brush your teeth," he said. "And take a shower while you're at it. You're smelling up the house."

Rob made a face as Danitra giggled.

"You sure you want to live with him?" Danitra asked.

"I wonder sometimes," Rob sighed, getting up.

A few days later, school had started. Lenni had just closed her locker when Calvin Furguson came up to her.

"Hello Lenni," he said in a silky voice. "Sorry about your uh…recent breakup."

"Oh," Lenni said, making a face. "Good news travels fast."

"I know," Calvin said. "But you shouldn't let it trouble you. I'm right here if you need a shoulder to cry on."

"Back off Booger-Bat!"

Calvin spun around and Lenni stifled a laugh. Rob was standing behind him with a vicious look in his eyes.

"This guy isn't bothering you, is he Lenni?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"I believe he was just leaving," Lenni smiled. "Weren't you, Calvin?"

Calvin went pale and ran off as Rob shook his head.

"You know," Rob said, holding up a finger. "When you wrote me…and said Calvin asked you out…I was really hoping that was a joke."

"You were hoping it was a joke?" Lenni asked. "You didn't have to hear him sing about his dead parrot!"

"Good grief, that really happened?"

"I can show you the gravesite if you don't believe me," Lenni said.

"I think I might've jumped over it when I was running from Victor," Rob said. "He thinks I should try out for hurdles."

"You have gotten fast," Lenni said.

"You would be too if Victor Torres was after you," Rob said. "Shouldn't have called him a Thunderhead."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Nah," Rob said. "That was a great tackle though. He should forget about track and go out for football."

Lenni laughed and they walked outside together. They saw Alex, but he was headed another direction.

"Where's he going?"

"He has to meet Gaby and Tina over at Hurston," Lenni said.

"Gaby's at Hurston now?" Rob asked, scratching his head.

"You've been gone a whole year, Rob," Lenni laughed. "I mean…the lot of us are actually in high school."

"Yeah," Rob sighed. "And at a school that does not require uniforms."

"You had to wear a uniform?"

"Yes," Rob said, rolling his eyes. "That alone was motivation enough to get back to New York."

"Well Jamal has to wear a uniform for his school," Lenni said. "But it isn't that bad. Jasmine thinks he looks handsome in it."

"Not all uniforms are created equal," Rob said. "They also made me cut my hair. I looked like a total moron."

"I'm getting curious now," Lenni grinned. "You got a picture?"

"Don't even think about it."

Lenni giggled as they reached the bodega.

"You coming up?" she asked.

"Might as well," Rob shrugged. "Jason don't get off until six."

Rob went up to Lenni's loft, where she brought him some Snapple. He flopped down on the sofa to drink it and she sat next to him, taking out her homework.

"I really wish they wouldn't give out homework on the first day," she said.

"Don't we all," Rob said. "That for Global Studies?"

"Yeah," Lenni sighed. "First day and already I don't get it."

Rob took a look at the paper and smiled.

"It's not so hard," he said, putting the paper down. "Look at this…"

Rob explained the question, pointing at it with one hand. His other arm was around Lenni as she sat next to him, listening and finding she could understand Rob a lot better than her teacher. She scooted closer to Rob as she took out her pen to answer the questions. She gave a sigh of relief and smiled at him when she finished.

"Man am I glad you're back, Rob," she said. "You always were good at this."

"Well studying the world isn't so hard when you've lived all over it," Rob said. "I just have an edge that way."

"But you're also really smart," she said. "You don't have trouble in school like I do."

"No," Rob said. "I just have trouble with common sense…or have you forgotten about the subway tunnel, Roberta Halton, and the Thunderheads?"

Lenni giggled.

"Seems you had some episodes in Australia too," she said. "Like getting the rugby team after you?"

"They shouldn't have been betting on games."

"Knocking over the shelves at the music store?"

"They were playing your song."

"Picking a fight with those guys at the beach?"

"Those creeps stole my notebook!"

Lenni laughed and shook her head.

"You haven't changed much, Rob," she said.

"Old habits die hard," he told her, giving a shrug. "I'm as thick-headed as ever.

Lenni sighed and looked at him.

"I really missed you."

Rob gave a shy smile.

"I missed you too."

The two of them gazed at each other for a minute before Lenni closed her eyes and kissed Rob fully on the mouth. She then pulled back as Rob stared at her with wide eyes. Lenni swallowed as she went red in the face.