FOSTER
Charlie Bone ruffled his black hair as he trudged down the stairwell to the kitchen.
"Morning, Mum," he smiled, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes as he slid into an empty seat beside his Uncle Paton.
"Good morning, dear," Amy Bone trilled, giggling as she watched her son stifle a yawn. "Would you like your eggs scrambled, over-easy or sunny-side-up?"
"How about burnt?" Grandma Bone spat as she entered the kitchen.
"Always the negative magnet, Grizelda," Uncle Paton chuckled as he folded away his newspaper. "I'll have over-easy, Amy."
"No problem, Paton," Amy sang, slipping a pair of eggs onto his plate. "Charlie?"
"Me too, please. Why're you so cheerful, Mum?"
"Well, your friends are back from the voyage. I figured it'd do good for all of us if you stopped moping about the house."
"Yes," Grandma Bone agreed fervently. "Good for all of us to be rid of this stupid rat. Go, Charlie, and never come back!"
She cackled, viciously stabbing an egg with her fork. Her cackle grew to a rough, bark-hard laugh as she began to tear apart the yolk as if she were a vulture pecking at its carrion.
Charlie frowned. "Maybe I enjoy being apathetic."
Uncle Paton chortled. "Gabriel telephoned early this morning. He'd like you to meet the gang by the Pets' Café somewhere by noontime."
Charlie nodded. "Thanks. How did your proposal turn out, Uncle P?"
Amy and Grizelda glanced up. "What?"
Charlie raised his eyebrows furtively toward his uncle, who nodded wearily. "Uncle Paton's proposed to Miss Ingledew," he announced happily.
"Congratulations, Paton!" Amy crowed, clapping her hands with glee. "Will it be a large wedding? I've got the perfect gown to lend Julia—oh, this will be like treating the daughter I never had to her wedding..."
"Hey!" Charlie protested in mock indignation. "Aren't I good enough to make up for this daughter you never had?"
Amy laughed.
"Terrific," Grandma Bone grouched. "Yet another endowed to enter the family. Before you know it, Yewbeams will be no more."
"Hooray," Charlie muttered.
"Don't you worry, Grizelda," Paton grinned. "I'm a Yewbeam, remember? Julia will be Julia Ingledew-Yewbeam, and we've decided to adopt."
"An endowed boy?" Grizelda's eyes lit up like candles in a dark pool. "This will be interesting."
"Now, Grizelda," Paton warned as he peered over the top of his paper, "I'd like to know if any evil schemes come to mind; please notify me beforehand."
Grandma Bone snorted. "Dream on, Paton."
She left the room, heels clicking as she mounted the stairs.
"She's got her sights set on your soon-to-be son, Paton?" Amy gasped.
"No," Paton growled. "I'd know my own sister well enough for that. She's aiming for Charlie and his friends. She's plotting something to remove them temporarily from Bloor's. You could catch the plan if you paid very close attention."
Charlie couldn't recall a thing that mentioned him at all, but he shrugged. Uncle Paton had his means.
"Well, I'm off to the Pets' Café now, in large hopes that Grandma Bone won't do anything drastic," Charlie grimaced, grabbing a donut as he headed out the door. "I'll bet the gang is waiting."
He ran down Frog Street with Runner on his heels. Benjamin and the Browns were still in Nebraska on the Case of the Stolen Fish, and Runner Bean within a whistle's reach was incredibly helpful, especially when he was due at the Pets' Café at urgent notice. This way, he didn't have to check in with Benjamin each time he needed a pet.
Charlie greeted his friends as he made his way toward the far table.
"Hi; I'm sorry I'm late."
"It's alright," Emma grinned. "Have you heard the news, Charlie?"
Charlie returned the grin as he nodded. Nobody else smiled.
"What's going on?" Olivia shrieked, causing Mrs Onimous to hiss, "Shh!" from the corner.
Charlie told them. Olivia began to clap and scream, while Tancred and Lysander merely mumbled their congratulations.
"The adoption's arrived," Emma informed Charlie. "Aunt Julia picked him up by the agency only hours ago. His name is Seth Mickey Prowse, and he's only about ten years old."
"Three years younger than us," Olivia mused. "He sounds cute."
"Dark brown curls, large eyes, cute cheeks and freckles," Emma giggled. "He's a darling!"
Tancred rolled his eyes.
"Is he endowed?" Charlie cautioned.
Emma nodded eagerly. "Seth can morph. It's amazing, the way he describes it."
"Listen, Grandma Bone's on the prowl. You should have seen her eyes and how they lit up when Paton told her of the endowed adoption. She's after him, and she's after us."
"What else is new?" Lysander smirked. "It's always your family, Charlie."
"Don't blame Charlie!" Gabriel demanded. "It's not his fault his Aunts were overtaken by the Darkly Wynd influence. My Uncle, the one I visited not so long ago, was once quite a jolly good fellow. And now, he's pure evil!"
"I wasn't blaming Charlie," Lysander chuckled. "I was making a joke. But what does she want out of us, Charlie?"
"She didn't say."
"Well, obviously, Sander," Tancred said, raising his eyebrows, "I'd be willing to pay you ten quid the day you catch an evil plotter who tells you all her reasons and motives for scheming against her arch-rival."
"Grandma Bone's loose," Charlie muttered lowly. "That's all I'm saying."
Emma stood up abruptly. "I have to leave."
"So soon?" Tancred seemed surprised. "Charlie only just got here."
"And I only just remembered something," Emma frowned. "Charlie, would you like to follow me?"
"Sure." Charlie allowed his wrist to be seized and led from the café. He tried desperately to ignore the glare Tancred gave him as he left.
"Em, where're you taking me?"
"Home."
Emma dragged Charlie into the bookshop. She stooped down, resting her hands on her knees.
"Seth?" she called, peering into the back room. "Seth!"
A small boy, hardly taller than Charlie's shoulder, ambled into the room. He had dark brown curls that flicked outward from his ears, large brown eyes to match and a sprinkling of freckles.
"Isn't he adorable?" Emma giggled, ruffling Seth's hair. "Come on, Seth, meet my friend. His name is Charlie."
"Hey." Seth clapped Charlie on the shoulder, grinning. "Emma's told me a lot about you."
"So—you can shift your shape?" Charlie once knew a beautiful girl, or an old woman rather, who could perform an identical feat. But she was an antagonist in the story of his life.
"Emma's told me everything about you," Seth replied warily. "About how you found her in your first year. And then you had some sort of conflict with your ancestor. After that, you battled an old woman who could shift her shape. I'm not like her."
"You're not?"
This was probably the most gratifying piece of news Charlie had ever grasped all day long.
"I can only morph into anything living. I can change my looks, but I choose not to. In fact, I prefer to stand as potted plants or animal statues when I eavesdrop."
"But flowerpots and statues aren't living. They don't breathe," Charlie said pointedly.
Seth nodded. "I know. I'm talking about the plant. The plant itself is living. And as a matter of fact, I don't morph into a statue. I morph into an animal with a rock-colored skin, and stand still in a corner."
"Amazing," Charlie breathed.
"But I can blow my cover as easy as that," Seth said, snapping his fingers. "When I blink, I disappear and reappear. If I close my eyes, I shrink. If I open them, I grow. It's hard to maintain a morphed state."
"Amazing," Charlie repeated.
"It was good to meet you, Charlie!" Seth bounded back to the sitting room, where Miss Ingledew was mopping.
"He sounds great, Em," Charlie grinned. "A great brother."
"He won't be my brother, silly," Emma laughed. "Seth will be Auntie Julia's son. Since I'm her niece, Seth will be my foster cousin."
Charlie contemplated. "You're right. It'll feel strange, being related to you, Em. Now Uncle P is an uncle to two."
"You and me," Emma agreed. "I wonder if you could do me a favor, Charlie?"
"Hm?"
"Could you give this to Naren the next time you visit?" Emma handed Charlie a bright red ribbon.
Charlie shook his head. "No. Naren won't be far away anymore. She and Meng are coming to live in the city!"
"What about Bartholomew?" Emma asked cautiously.
"His great-aunt's come to visit. Naren used to stay in Meng's bedroom. Now, there just isn't enough room for a fat aunt and three cousins. She and her mother have to move temporarily. It's just an apartment, on the edge of town. But it's still town."
"Great!" Emma shrieked. "You'll be seeing a lot of her, I'm guessing?"
Charlie flushed.
"Why can't you just ask her out?" Emma sighed. "It's as easy as—well, as love."
"You would know," Charlie mumbled. "It's your endowment."
"And I also know she feels strongly for you, too!" Emma was on her feet now. "Both of you are very subtle, very discreet. If you tried to bond, your efforts would show."
"Maybe I don't want to show," Charlie shrugged. "Maybe—maybe it's better off this way. I mean, she's a Bloor."
"Not necessarily. Are you forgetting something? She isn't Bartholomew's blood kin!"
Charlie had no reply to that.
"Charlie, I'm an expert now, on what I used to disregard."
"In short, you're saying you know everything about love."
"Back to back," Emma promised. "All you have to do, is make conversation. You're always talking about your problems. It's either some kind of trouble is lurking here or there."
"It's the only topic I can find."
"It's the only topic you should avoid," Emma argued. "Talk about school. Talk about Aunt Julia and Uncle Paton. Talk about social events. Talk about Meng. Something that she can relate to! And when you can draw that out, try asking her out."
"You mean—on a date? Emma, I can't do that!"
"Yes, you can! Has she moved yet?"
"She should have arrived at noon today."
"Perfect," Emma grinned fervently. "Go talk to her."
Shoving Charlie from the bookshop, Emma forced him onto the street and pointed to the far edge of town—the hilly side of the city labeled the Heights.
Charlie and Naren sat in her sitting room. The apartment's spotted wallpaper was unnerving. Round, misshapen eyes peered around everywhere at Charlie.
"So how're you enjoying the city, Naren?"
"It's a big place. I'm not sure I'd like to live here—you know, permanently. It seems so … intimidating and crowded. I'm claustrophobic."
Charlie was about to mention that he was claustrophobic as well, and tell her a story about the elevator he'd faced at the age of four, but he recalled Emma's advice.
"Er … how does Meng like the city?"
"She likes it just fine, in fact. She's very comfortable with the hustle and bustle."
"At least she's happy," Charlie murmured, panicking inwardly. He remembered Emma suggesting he mention his uncle's marriage. "Guess what, Naren?"
"What is it?"
"My Uncle Paton is going to get married!"
"What?" Naren leapt up from her seat. "You're kidding!"
Charlie grinned. "No, I'm not. He proposed to Emma's aunt two or three days ago."
"That's excellent! Oh, I'm so happy for them!"
She sounded exactly like Amy Bone. Charlie chuckled. "You sound like my mother."
Naren giggled. "I stopped in at the greengrocer's earlier. She wasn't there."
"No. She's switched her job. She's working at a restaurant."
"Which one? Meng would like to visit her. And also, Meng is looking for a job."
"It's called Marlborough Tech, something or other. It's a formal place. The restaurant's food is going to be the food served at our Scarlet Cotillion."
"What is the Scarlet Cotillion?" Naren asked.
"A Cotillion is a French dance. It's very formal," Charlie explained. "The Bloors are hosting the Cotillion; it's held every eight years as a signal for endowed children to enter adolescence."
"It's a generation-thing?" Naren asked, slightly confused.
"I guess you could say that. A welcome to each new generation of endowed."
"I see."
A beeper in Charlie's pocket began to call. He leapt to his feet. "My mum wants me at home. Do you mind?"
Naren smiled. "Not at all."
Before Charlie exited, he turned, hesitant.
"Say, would you be free—I mean, willing—to be my—to go? To the dance? With … with me?"
Naren brightened. "Yes, Charlie. Goodbye."
Outside, Charlie chuckled triumphantly. Finally!
A passing cat suddenly grew larger before his very eyes. "Seth?"
The boy, his dark brown curls bouncing, appeared in place of the ginger tabby. "Hiya, Charlie!"
His chuckle growing to a laugh, Charlie swung his arm around Seth's shoulders and led him home.
Jacky: I loved the CharlieNaren. They are a very cute pairing.
You: What's all the Scarlet Cotillion about?
Jacky: Oh, it's just some dance I invented in the spur of the moment to get Charlie to ask Naren out.
You see, if he asked her out to dinner, that would be too ... old. Only teenagers go to dinner, or adults.
They're PRETEENS. School dances are the thing to fling!
; ) Enjoy the next few chapters.