Chapter Eight: Tea with Christianna.
Christianna had no school about a week later. She wasn't allowed to go on the trip after she cond the teacher out of a detention and the princible found out. So Christianna had to stay at the Banks house all day with Marianna.
Never in her life had she been so bored. When she was usually home it was after school, weekends or vaction. Always something to do. Christianna who hadnt watched TV from the times of 9 am – 3 pm, discovered that during that timeframe, NOTHING WAS ON! Except for baby shows, news and soaps. Although Christianna was seven, growing up along side Selena and her always busy father, Christianna didn't think of herself as seven. Now she didn't mind watching some younger shows. Just not the kind of thing you'd see on Playhouse Disney. She did do little girl things like play with dolls, dress up and have tea parties, But she still was advanced academicially which made her a bit more mature for her age. So she was also into more older things like the stuff 10 year olds and 11 year olds [maybe 9's too] were into.
Personally,Christianna wouldn't of minded the was amuzed by stupidity,drama and over the top things like'someone marrying someone who turns out to be their brother'.She found them to be stupid and amuzing to watch and laugh at. She wouldn't of minded it, that is if Tabitha AND Louise hadn't told Marianna that she wasn't allowed to watch TV like that. Christianna eventually decided to go on an 'expitdition' to find out what happened when she was at school.
At first she went to Tabitha, she was busy loading the dish washers and planning that nights meal. Tabitha noticed Christianna watching. "What are you doing?" she asked her .
"I'm Bored!" she told her. "There's nothing to do!"
"You could help me in the kitchen. I could always use and extra set of hands." She offered.
Christianna shook her head. "No thank you." She replied. It wasn't that she didn't like to help in the kitchen. She did, but only when it was something worth while. Like baking a cake or something.
Tabitha shrugged. "Whatever you want…"
Christianna walked into the laundry room. Louise was doing the monthly laundry today [Yes they had enough clothes to last a month without washing. Heck, they had more than a month's worth!]. Christianna walked over and watched her.
"If your going to stand there, grab some socks and held me stain treat them!" Louise said.
Christianna quickly ran back up the stairs. She had a problem with touching dirty clothes. Christianna finally went back to her room. She flopped on her bed. "I'm bored!"
"Why don't you play with some of your toys?" came a farmilliar voice behind her. Christianna sat up, and in the double doorway was Marianna.
"What?" she asked.
"If you have nothing to do, try doing something you don't do very often."
"Whats that supposed to mean?" she asked her a bit defencive.
Marianna smiled. "Judging by the dust on in your toy corner. I'm guessing you don't play with you toys very often."
"I only play with them, when there's someone to play with. Mostly though I go to my friends houses because Daddy's usually away. And when he's away I'm not allowed to have friends over. He says we cause to much trouble. Selena only ever has Ashley come over and Daddy can trust her so… they don't get used much." Christianna admitted sadly.
Marianna smiled sympatheticly. "Well why don't I join you?" she said she looked over at the corner and spotted a beautiful hand crafted table with a beautiful silk table cloth and a charming china tea set placed neatly on it. Now this tea set wasn't a little mini one you can get at Wal-Mart. This was an actual hand made China tea set that was custom made for Christianna. The table as well was a full sized table. Nothing about this was childish, except for the teddy bear sitting in one of the seats.
Christianna looked at it too. She hadnt played with it for 3 years. Last time was on Christianna's 4th birthday and she and Selena had eaten their late night snack on it. [Pretending they were princesses while eating of course!]
Christianna had forgoten all the fun she used to have with it. Christianna looked back at Marianna. "Will you really play with me?" she asked hopefully.
Marianna smiled. "I would be delighted."
Christianna smilled. "Alright! But first you have to go and ask Tabitha to make some treats and tea. I have to get ready." With that Christianna ran off.
Christianna sat across from Marianna at the table. On the left side sat Christianna's teddy bear and on the right was Selena's stuffed pig. Both handsomely dressed and ready for tea. Christianna tapped into her inner child [you know, what she should be right now] and was dressed in her favorite princess dress, her favorite silver and green gemstone tiara and lots of jewelery.
"Would you like some more tea Christianna?" Marianna asked her.
Christianna shook her head. "No thank you Marianna, perhaps Mr. Fuzzles would like some."
Marianna turned to the teddy bear. "Mr. Fuzzles, would you like some more tea?" she asked him politely.
Now the thing you need to know Is that Mr. Fuzzles was a teddy bear. Christianna has had him for her whole life. She treated him very well. Christianna, although she liked to pretend, knew that Mr. Fuzzles wasn't actually alive. Yet, Marianna was acting as if he was alive.
"Very well, one more cup it is." Marianna said as she poured more into the teddys's cup.
Marianna pulled the plate of cupcakes over. "What colour would he prefure? You know him better than I!"
Christianna laughed. "It doesn't matter. He's only a toy. He wont complain!"
Marianna looked at Christianna. " A Toy? You say?" she asked.
"Yes, he's stuff and fluff!" she told her. Picking him up and squeezing him tightly to show that she was correct.
"You really shouldn't judge things by their appearance." Marianna told her.
"But Marianna, there's no way he can be real. He's doesn't have any organs or bones or anything else that living things have." Christianna said. "Watch." Christianna squeezed him with her hand to prove that she was right.
"HEY! That hurt!"
Christianna looked around. "Who said that?"
"I did!"
Christianna looked somemore. "Where are you?"
"In your hand!"
Christianna looked at her hand. All there was, was Mr. Fuzzles.
Suddenly Mr. Fuzzles Blinked.
Christianna was caught off guard and screamed. She tossed Mr. Fuzzles High in the air and he landed on his plate.
Mr. Fuzzles stood up and brushed himself off. "You didn't need to throw me! I didn't do anything."
Christianna stared at him. Unsure weither to be scared or enchanted. "Oh My." Was all she could say.
Christianna turned to Marianna who was hiding her smile by taking a sip of her tea. "Christianna, you really should apologise. That could've really hurt him." Was all she said.
Christianna turned back to Mr. Fuzzles. "Is this real? Are you really alive?"
Mr. Fuzzles smiled. "As sure as the sky is blue I am!" he told her happily.
Christianna grabbed him and hugged him. "Oh this is incredible. My own teddy bear. Alive! Everychild's dream come true!"
Christianna sat him back to his chair. "Mr. Fuzzles. Would you care to join us?"
Marianna gave a small smile from across the way. Christianna didn't see it though. Mr. Fuzzles nodded. "I would ever so love to join you Christianna. I have waited your whole life for this!"
Marianna passed the cupcake plate to Mr. Fuzzles. "Would you care for one?"
Mr. Fuzzles shook his head. "Oh no. I'm too stuffed!" he said. Then he started to laugh at his own joke. Christianna laughed along with him. "Ya get it? Cause I'm a teddy bear. And I'm full of stuffing. I'm stuffed. Ah this is the good stuff!"
Marianna rolled her eyes. "Please remember where we are. I will not have tea with a couple of hyeanas!"
Christianna settled down as did Mr. Fuzzles.
Mr. Fuzzles turned to Christianna. "By the way Christianna. Let me tell you something that happened to me. I was walking down the street one day when an old rubber ducky friend of mine came up to me and said: I know a man with a wooden leg named smith."
"Really?" Christianna asked. "What did you say?"
"So I asked him: Whats the name of his other leg!" Mr. Fuzzles and Christianna laughed again. This time it was uncontrolible.
"Really! As if that's the first time I've ever heard THAT ONE!" Marianna said annoyed.
Christianna didn't even notice. She was laughing like crazy. She was laughing so hard that she began to fell so light. Christianna looked at Marianna who was across from her only she wasn't there. Where had she gone? And the table and the tea party. Christianna looked down and saw that They hadnt gone she had. She was floating above Marianna with Mr. Fuzzles.
Marianna was looking up at them very annoyed. "Do come down here at once!" she told them sternly. Only they couldn't. They were laughing too hard. "I thought you wanted to have a tea party Christianna!?"
"Oh Marianna I do. I really do. It's just that I cannot get down, and I don't want to. It's too much fun up here."
"Although. I Wouldn't say no if you passed up the cup-" Mr. Fuzzles began.
But he stopped when he saw the table floating up to them. Christianna looked at the rising table in amazment.
Marianna looked crossly at them from the ground. "I suppose you want me to join you now don't you?" she asked.
"Oh would you please!" Christianna pleaded.
Marianna sighed and began to rise. Mr Fuzzles and Christianna cheered.
"Now lets please carry on with our tea." She said sternly.
Christianna picked up a cupcake and bit into it happily.
This was the greatest thing EVER!....
Selena walked up to her house. She was tired and exhausted. She opened the door and hung up her coat. Louise walked up to her to take her things. "Hello Selena."
"Hello Louise. Where's Chrissy?" she asked.
"She went up with Marianna about a few hours ago. I havent seen them since." Selena went into panic mode. Christianna was ALONE with Marianna. Who knows what she could be doing. Selena bolted up the stairs as fast as she could. She ran down the hallway and to the double doors and reached out for the handle.
Selena burst into the room. "Christianna!" she called.
"I'm over here!" she called back with a bubbly laugh.
Selena entered her half of the room. She turned to her play corner and stood dumbstruck. Above her was Marianna, Christianna, Christianna's teddy bear and the tea party set floating near the ceiling.
"OH MY GOD!" Selena screamed.
Marianna looked down at her with a clever smile. Christianna saw her sister's face and suddenly came back to reality.
People don't fly, Bears don't talk, and you can't have Tea Parties on the ceiling.
No longer happy and joyful, Christianna felt herself get heavier. Selena watched as her sister began to fall. Fast as lightning Selena ran to catch Christianna. As she caught her and held her tightly, Selena was knocked to the side By Marianna, who had been attempting to catch Christianna too. Selena and Christianna were knocked into the doll castle. Causing it to topple over. Marianna landed on the floor. Selena's arms were wrapped over Christianna to protect her from the falling toy castle. Selena kicked the castle off of them and she and Christianna got up. Christianna clung to Selena. She was scared, she didn't understand what had just happened.
"Christianna go and stay with Tabitha. Don't go with anyone else except me." Fearfully, Christianna obeyed.
Once Selena heard the door shut she instantly got into to it. "What the hell…"
Marianna looked at her. She stared at her superiorly. "Watch your mouth please."
"No I wont. I don't know what's going on. All I know is that I come home to my sister on the CEILING!" she screamed. "Do I even have to point out how wrong that is!"
"Inside voice please."
"No! NO! I want you out of this house. You and every crazy thing that comes with it. Give us our life and sanity back! NOW"
"I'm afraid I cannot do that! I'm an employee of your father. Not you. You do not have the athority to discharge me. Only your father has that power." Marianna said smuggly.
"Who are you?" Selena asked. Wanting the truth. "Where are you from. What do you want with us?"
Marianna smiled. "I am Marianna. Where I'm from is none of your concern and I'm here because your father hired me."
"That's not what I meant." She said. "You know it!"
"All I know I is that Dinner is soon and you have Ashley and Stephen coming for your music lesson. You'd better get ready." With that Marianna walked away.
Selena had something bigger than a babysitter on her hands. She had a freaking devil babysitter on her hands. She had to figure this out. What could she do. Tell someone? Know they'd call her crazy. Selena knew that Marianna was after more then a paycheck. And Selena was determind to find that out…