"Hey Mom, just an fyi, if your going to blink yourself into the isolation chamber for the millionth time when Dad gets home- just remember one thing would make communication a whole lot easier: skype!" She was helping her mother clean up after dinner. Isabel was in their room doing homework.
"Jackie! How many times have I told you not to tell people about the future."
"She's right Mom, and I can't wait to have one of those!" Josh commented as he was about to go out the door.
"Where are you going?" Jeannie asked her son.
"To see Alyssa."
"You know, I don't think that's a good idea tonight." Jackie remarked.
"You never think it's a good idea-"
"No I mean- something's wrong."
"Wrong? Wrong with who? What?"
"Well- Abby."
"I know, Amanda asked for my help figuring out what."
"Well, I found out and told her today."
"What is it-"
"I'd prefer not to talk about it to be perfectly honest. But please don't go over there tonight. Trust me Alyssa's preoccupied with other things right now."
"Fine. Basketball then." He pulled his hood over his head continued outside.
Jeannie II was angry after having gotten nowhere with her niece. She now watched Isabel unobserved from the top right hand corner of the ceiling. Isabel was reading the genie book that had been given to Jackie earlier in the week, now anxious to try some of the things in it for herself. She held out her hand and blinked, satisfied with what she'd blinked up.
"Ah- so she hasn't taken after her simpleton father after all." Jeannie II smiled playing with her necklace. She decided to pop back into the room, although slyly so as not to be noticed at first. She sat backwards on the desk chair, facing Isabel who was engrossed in her book. Jeannie II rested her head on the edge of the chair. She sighed, casing Isabel's head to snap up.
"What are you doing here? Do I need to get garlic or something?"
"That's no way to talk to me my dear!" She blinked and suddenly she wore a harem costume that matched her own but in a light powder blue. Isabel raised an eyebrow, she knew better than to admit that Jeannie had discovered something that easily.
"What do you want? I couldn't make the question any simpler."
"Nothing- just to help you, that's all?"
"First, can I have my clothes back, the draft isn't exactly lovely, it's pouring out."
"Very well then," she blinked and the girl wore her street clothes again.
"Whatever would I need help with?" She shut the book and slipped it under her other homework, deciding to pull out English instead. She shrugged her shoulders, laughed and went back to reading.
"Are you just going to sit there?" She asked looking up a few minutes later.
"Let's play I spy!" She smiled devilishly, her smile sent a chill up Isabel's spine. "I spy someone who's keeping a secret!"
"You're so weird." Isabel laughed, shaking her head.
"Hey little sister, I never thought you'd get here." Alyssa yawned as her sister crawled into her bed with her early the next morning. To Alyssa it felt like it was still very late at night.
"Hi." Abby smiled. She decided no matter what that, that Saturday morning would be a new day for her.
"You feeling better?" Alyssa pulled Abby into a hug.
"A little. I'm glad I have you to talk to and Allie to model for. I'm glad Mom and Dad were so upset, it means they care."
"Mom's hysterical Abby."
"I know. I feel bad for that."
"What made you do it- come on you know you can tell me anything."
"I don't feel loved. I'm smothered by the rules. You're perfect- no offense. And Allie is just a little girl. If there's any mercy in this house for sneaking a cookie, wanting a dog, waking up late or tracking mud on the way in from a long day- it's given to her for being so small, and sometimes to you, just for working so hard."
"Oh Abby you work so hard too."
"I don't think they don't care. I just think I'm squished in the middle by default.
Sometimes I don't think I'll ever be rid of the pressure of the rules. At least Dad's wacked out sense of censorship hasn't extended to our reading selection- in that case I would really crack."
"I know Abby. I feel the same way."
"You do?"
"Sure. He's always been too strict when it comes to us. Did you know that when he found out Mom was having me one of the first things he did was decide what she'd be eating for the next eight months."
"Poor Mom, that's rough. I never noticed that when she was pregnant with Allie."
"You wouldn't have noticed, because it's the way he's made us eat our whole lives. And Saturday is our only day to sleep in…"
"Until six-thirty."
"What a shame."
"We should be sleeping now."
"I know sister. You've got to remember our parents are some of the most selfish people you're ever going to may feel cloistered, but me? I'm overly responsible. I love Mom. She's great and she's fun, but she's not always-as attentive, as she could be."
"Yeah. I guess so."
"Abby- I feel like I partially raised myself. I was watching you by the time I was three. Sometimes I think I did all the work taking care of baby Allie. It's ridiculous. I'm just glad we're not boys."
"Why's that?"
"Because we'd be in Military School instead of here under Dad's watchful eye, and trust me- that'd be worse."
"Mom wouldn't let him send us to military school- she'd be far to upset."
"What do you think matters more in this house Ab, her pain or his pride?"
"Come on really, what are you doing here?"
Isabel set up and opened one eye. Jeannie II was still sitting in the desk chair the next morning. Jackie had gone with Josh to try to discourage the poor love sick boy from throwing rocks at Alyssa Bellow's window. "You know, Uncle Alfred bought that shotgun just for you right after caught you kissing Alyssa, right?" She had awoken to hear Jackie mock.
"Looking to give you some advice my dahling!"
"About what?"
"Well for one, that hair." Jeannie blinked and Isabel's hair was up in an elaborate ponytail.
"If your going to do that- I want it cut off short- I've seen the future- think- I don't know more 1996 than 1986!"
"Very well." She wanted to say cool, thanks for my new Jennifer Aniston haircut, but refrained.
"Now, about your being a genie…"
"I am not a genie Jeannie."
"Yes you are doll baby."
"No I am not."
"Sure you are. I have always known you were. No one would ever believe me but I knew you were."
"How would you… Oh no!"
"Oh yes!"
"Don't tell me? Aunt Jeannie!"
"What- what is- sister!" Jeannie burst into the room. "Sister! You- you leave at once."
"You can no longer tell me what to do the child is grown!" Jeannie laughed.
"She is fourteen, she is still her father's child."
"And yours too apparently."
"What are you not telling me?" Isabel blinked and suddenly she was dressed and they were in the living room, having Jeannie II in her room was getting to be a bit too much for her.
"Aunt. What's going on here?"
"Well…"
"Hey guys." Roger came in the door from the . "Oh…"
"Daddy- what are they not telling me? I think I know, but I want to hear it from you, not them."
"Jeannie's sister is your mom, Izzy." Isabel shrieked and popped out.
Roger didn't try to hide that he was afraid.
"What did my daughter just do?"
"Our daughter, brainless."
"I've had enough of you! I'm supposed to be in space and my daughter is supposed to be happy and working on school. You abandoned her. And me too Jeannie."
"The child is grown and I want to be part of her life. Besides since she's dijin…"
"Isabel is a- a genie?"
"She came into her powers yesterday Major Healy."
"I- I have my own genie- I'm the father of a genie—"
"I told you all she was." Jeannie II played with her hair.
"Well then why did you leave? What makes you think she wants you or needs you now!"
Jeannie ran up the stairs as Roger and Jeannie II began arguing loudly. She opened her arms for Isabel and sat on her bed next to her, holding her as she cried.
"Don't throw the rock Josh, it's too big. It's too early in the morning!"
"I guess you're right." He threw the rock anyway.
"What did you do that for? I told you not to—" Suddenly the window opened.
They looked up and were horrified to find that they had gotten the wrong window.
"Good morning sir." Josh looked completely ashen. He stared mostly at the rifle.
"Uncle Alfred, please forgive my brother, what he lacks is brains he has in heart."
"Before I forgive your brother, please tell me again, what are the rules regarding dating my daughter?"
"Well uh, I can see her at school. Or on a date but I have to be back before ten and give you a detailed schedule of where we'll be and who with- oh! And here or at my house but with my Mom or Aunt Amanda within sight."
"Very good Joshua. But right now, you're violating those terms."
"Yes I am."
"In that case, by your own admission- get off my lawn and don't much less think about my daughter until Monday morning, is that understood?" Josh nodded and ran a way, leaving his sister staring up at the window. "Jackie I think you had better go on home as well."
"Okay." Jackie threw her hands down as she turned around and walked home.
"Alfred, please quit trying to shoot the boy!" Amanda asked as he climbed back into bed. She was frustrated now. What a way to start a day. "And put a way the shot gun."
"What happened?" The girls burst in the room. Alyssa came first with Abby and Allie in tow. Allie, barely awake now, rubbed her eyes.
"Josh was throwing rocks at my window. You're not talking to him till Monday, or Jackie either."
"Daddy! You didn't try to shoot him again?" Alyssa was upset now.
"Come on girls, let's go back to bed." Amanda picked Allie up and pushed Abby out of the room.
"You're out of control you're over protective and clearly you don't trust your daughters do you?"
"I'm just trying to protect you!"
"What next, are you going to make the house injury proof by padding all the walls and floors. Be objective. Please try to remember that your a Doctor...Because of your rules you've tried to kill my boyfriend twice."
"Alyssa I was only—"
"And you've made your own daughter start cutting herself- once again, be objective. That in its self is crazy- maybe you've finally cracked Dad." Alyssa rolled her eyes and left the room.
All three girls went back to bed and didn't bother to get up as required or say goodbye to their father. Amanda refused to speak to him also. She had heard what Alyssa had to say and was proud. She was exactly right.
"You want to go downstairs now honey?"
"No. I don't want to face them. I just wanted her to leave."
"I know honey."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"It wasn't my-"
"But I am your real niece."
"I know love."
"And I'm a- a genie."
"There's a lot you don't know about your mother and her leaving and you and your poor Daddy too."
"Were they married?"
"They still are—"
"You're kidding? That's why Dad never married any of those girlfriends…oh who cares they were terrible."
They could hear things breaking in the living room.
"We should probably go check on your poor Daddy, huh?"
"Mommy, what do you think is going on across the street?" Allie asked later that morning, she was disappointed that Daddy had gone to work on a Saturday and that Jackie wasn't taking them all to New York after what happened that morning. She sat on the couch holding her doll and looking out the window.
"What do you mean Allie?" Amanda looked across the street, her eyes grew wide as the Nelson's living room filled with a green glow. She dropped the bowl she was holding, knowing what the green met and ran across the street.
"Why are you such an idiot when it comes to Alyssa? You could be a Cyclops for lord's sake!" Jackie whined, slapping her brother on the arm as they came in their back door.
"I'm sorry, I just- I just really love her." He walked across the kitchen to make himself some cereal.
"You, you LOVE her?...Ew!"
"Yeah, I do."
"Have you told her this?"
"Of course not. Not yet."
"Whatever, its your business…."
Jackie was pretty much disgusted and would have continued to remark on her brother's omission, but both siblings were caught off guard by the sudden burst of emerald green light and the loud bang that came from under the kitchen door, causing it to swing erratically. Both immediately knew their aunt was present and rushed to peek out the door and watch; abandoning the cereal so fast it spilled all over the counter and onto the floor.
"I didn't need him bothering me this weekend anyway, but he had no right to have done that!" Alyssa sighed. She sat at the kitchen table with Abby and she was mad. Neither of them had heard their mother and baby sister run across the street seconds earlier.
"Are you sure, your swooning."
"I'm not swooning."
"If your not swooning than I'm not quasi-sadistic."
"Your admitting to being quasi-sadistic?"
"Sure."
"Very well Holden."
"Good work Dr. Frued."
Across the street at the Nelsons Amanda was watching Jeannie II boil over at Roger. She was in disbelief that Jeannie II had returned after so long, not only that she was angry too. How could she have the nerve after all this time. Jeannie (good pink wearing Jeannie) had sent Allie upstairs to play in the hope that she would be safer there. Allie wandered into Jackie and Isabel's bedroom and just looked around for a minute. She was fascinated by the posters on the walls of far away places and singers like Pat Bennatar. Her own older sister's walls were pretty bare in this way; they weren't allowed to have up anything that wasn't framed. Allie's eyes skimmed the room for anything interesting and finally fixed them selves on the green bottle on Isabel's bed.
Now Allie had always wanted to be a genie. She knew a lot about them, she could almost be the expert of the human world; aside from Tony Nelson of course. Since the big kids were so much older, Allie had spent most of her time, until kindergarten in some magical mix up with her mother and Jeannie. She was far more exposed to this world than either of her sisters. Allie rubbed the bottle as she glanced at it in intregue, she'd never touched one before and had always wanted to. Even the one her mother had was off limits so her father wouldn't get suspicious about it but she'd always craved one of her very own. It was so beautiful! Suddenly a puff of powder blue smoke emerged and formed into…Isabel!
"Wow!" The little girl's eyes were wide.
"Your wish is my command mistress."
"I'm not a mistress, I'm eight!"
"Do you have a wish?"
"I wish I were a genie too, and that's all. Oh and that my sister Abby would be okay- and stop hurting herself-"
Isabel stopped for a minute and gulped, shocked and horrified at this news, even more so than by the fact that her first master was an eight year old girl.
"Once I do this, you'll be dijjin forever, are you sure?"
"I am sure." She smiled confidently.
Isabel blinked and all of a sudden Allie felt completely different and found herself in a pink dijin costume not too dissimilar from Jeannie's.
"Wow. I've got to try this!" Allie blinked and she was in her street clothes, she blinked again, harem outfit. "Mommy!" She screeched, running into the living room where her mother, Jeannie, Roger and Jeannie II were having it out.
"I want that one as well." Jeannie II pointed at Allie from the green and gold encrusted thrown shed blinked into the room as she came down the stairs and finally to her mother's side. She'd been trying to force her sister and husband to let her have Isabel and had gone into hysterics.
"No! Never!" Amanda got on her knees and clung to Allie. "She's my baby, please. She needs me so much- and I need her too."
Allie cried as she clung to her Mom.
"Mommy don't let me go!" She whispered.
"I'm not going to let you go sweetie. Never, never. Promise, love."
"Mom- just leave Jackie and Allie out of this. This is between you and me." Isabel defended, she appeared in a puff of green smoke in front of her mother who raised a satisfied eyebrow at her daughter.
"Isabel, did you turn her into a genie?" Jeannie asked.
"She rubbed my bottle, I couldn't help it! That's what she asked for."
"-You called me Mom. Well, alright." Jeannie II approached her. "Then you will come with me."
"You're not taking her either." Roger took his daughter in his arms too, "Jeannie, why don't you get your own kid, who you've raised your self. Huh? But you can't have someone else's kid and you can't have Isabel." Isabel was Roger's whole world.
"Let's be realistic doll baby. She's a teenage genie now she needs her Mother. I told you she was a dijin, do you remember? Before she was born- when she was born- I could feel that about her the whole time, did any of you know that? No. Because you aren't the mother!"
"Sort of like how I could feel that this one was not a genie. Izzy could you turn her back please?" Amanda interrupted.
"I don't know if I can-"
"I can do it." Jeannie smiled. "It will be alright Amanda. It is simple."
A beleagured Amanda and her young daughter followed Jeannie into the kitchen, leaving Isabel alone with her parents. She thought this was a very weird feeling and did not want to ponder on it.
"You know what Jeannie, you are right." Roger smiled and turned Isabel around to face him, he put both his hands on her shoulders. "She's not a kid anymore. She's a beautiful young lady of whom I am so proud." Isabel smiled up at him sincerely. "And you know what- she's my best pal too."
"Fine. I will leave you be on two conditions. First, I would like to get to know you Isabel. I really, really would. No tricks. Second, alright you think I should get my own kid, well fine. That sounds like a plan, but I want to have it with you."
"Excuse me?"
Isabel's mouth dropped open.
"This is getting to be a bit much for me."
"Well I am married to you."
"Jeannie, you have a lot of ex-husbands you could-"
"Yes, but you're the only one I have a kid with." Jeannie II laughed again and blinked.
"Jeannie what did you blink?"
She laughed.
"Jeannie what did you…."
"I'll be waiting at home for you Major Healey."
"Wow!" Jackie said from the kitchen, where she and her brother were listening. "It has maternal insincts."
"Vader had paternal instincts- it doesn't mean she cares." Her brother added.
"I guess not, nooowww!" She shrieked. The kitchen door opened and hit her several times as her mother, Amanda and Allie filed into the kitchen.
"That's what you get for listening in."
"Oh Joshua dear, I just wanted to tell you I'm so sorry for what happened this morning." Amanda was very apologetic.
"It's okay. I shouldn't have been throwing rocks at her window anyway; or trying to." Josh rubbed the back of his head.
"I'll tell you what, why don't you come over a little later."
"I don't think that's such a good idea, after what happened."
"Joshua! Did you do something to make Dr. Bellows try to shoot you again?" Jeannie was angry.
"Yes Mom, but I was breaking the rules."
"Just don't do it again. Now both of you go upstairs, I need some time with Allie- to turn her back."
"Into what, she looks like a human?" Josh asked.
"She's a genie."
"Wow everyone's turning into a genie." Jackie shrugged and blinked. Suddenly she and her brother were gone.
"Now back to fixing Allie."
"Oh you really think you can?"
"Oh yes, Jackie used to turn her brother into one all the time…let me see if I remember the formula. Hum… Right eye, left eye, right eye five times." Jeannie blinked in that order. When she finished Allie was in her regular clothes.
"I'm dizzy Mommy."
"Now she might lapse back and forth for a few days, be careful not to wish allowed for things my darling, and if you do, by all means don't blink!" Allie nodded.
"There's my girl again. Promise me you'll never ask for anything like that again, huh?" Amanda looked sternly into Allegra's eyes, getting on her knees to talk to the girl.
"I won't Mommy- being a genie sounds hard. But, don't you think this is something we could use?"
"Huh?"
"To irritate Daddy."
Amanda couldn't help but laugh at this, she felt like her husband deserved this.
"And I thought I could help Abby."
"Oh honey! She's gonna be fine darling, I promise you. Okay?"
"Okay." The girl nodded.
"On the other hand, playing a joke or two on Daddy over the next couple of days might not be such a bad idea."
Amanda looked up at Jeannie who smiled and gave her friend the okay signal. It was the least she could do. She knew Dr. Bellow's strict rules stressed out his wife and his daughters. Besides, the guy had threatened to shoot her son that morning, what more could she do than this?
"No matter what I love you." Roger said to Isabel once Jeannie II had popped out.
"You would have had to in order to keep me when I'm her kid and you two hate each other so much."
"No we don't- we-"
"Dad." She paused. "You hate each other."
"Or she hates me!"
Isabel sighed.
"That's right Izzy. I love you more than anything in the entire world."
"More than your job?"
"Yes Izzy."
"More than girls?"
"Yes Izzy." He said very confidently. "More than life."
"That's sweet Dad, I love you too." She hugged him.
"Well kiddo, I better get back in that space capsule before everyone starts to wonder where I am. Jean-" He started to call for Jeannie again.
"No Daddy I can do it, I'm a genie now remember?"
"Oh- yeah. That'll take some getting used to." He kissed her forehead and she blinked him back to his space capsule.
Just as soon as Roger was gone Jeannie II reappeared.
"Hello Isabel dahling."
"Mother." She addressed sharply.
"Why don't you come home with me tonight?"
"Thanks, but I live here?"
"I thought you lived with your Dad?"
"Well yeah-"
By this time Josh and Jackie were watching from the staircase and Jeannie, Amanda and Allie had come back to the living room from the kitchen, having missed Roger's departure but witnessed Jeannie II's trying to convince her daughter to come with her.
"Sister? The girl just found out all of this about you and her powers; do you not think it best for her to take some time to digest it all because it is rather a lot to take in."
"Hum?" Jeannie II considered. "I suppose."
"And then perhaps she can get to know you better, hum?"
"We can all be one, big, happy family." Jeannie II said, no one could tell if she was being sarcastic or not.
Josh covers his mouth does best Darth Vader impression, "Luke, join me! And together we can rule the galaxy as father and son!" Everyone looked at him. "No one else feeling it? Okay…."
Jackie hit him.
"Okay fine….hold it. I do need a few days to digest this. But I do, want to get to know you." She could have kicked herself for saying.
"Excellent! Well I'll be at your father's place waiting for the two of you if you need me!" She winked then blinked and suddenly she was gone.
The house settled in for the night, the Nelson siblings went about their typical routine, Jeannie set the house to featherduster its self and make dinner for the kids as she played cards with Isabel in an attempt to make her feel better. Amanda was enraged at Jeannie II's gaul and went back across the street, completely beside herself. And Allie was determined to use her lingering power to make things better at home. Alfred Bellows would come home to a houseful of women who he would find; would not speak to him.
Isabel went to bed early, feeling confused about the whole day. Every one sat downstairs watching a movie on televsion. She opened her window to feel the cool Florida breeze and climbed into bed to read a book. She looked up when she heard someone pop in and sit next to her. It was Jeannie II. Isabel was surprised to see her smile.
"I just wanted to let you know, that if I care for anyone, human or genie in the whole universe, throughout all of time, its you. No lies, no trickery, no nothing. I love you my child. And nothing will ever change that." She hugged Jeannie II.
"I love you too." She admitted uneasily.
