Disclaimer: As with the other chapters, I write for free because Walt Disney owns the series. But it's my honor to bring a little joy or sorrow into your usual hum-drum lives.
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Chapter 12 Good Bye Middleton
Kim laughed long and loud before she took a bite of her pizza. After she quickly chewed and swallowed she turned to Tara and asked, "So what were you doing while Ned was apologizing profusely?"
"You know me and celebrities," Tara giggled and blushed. "I stood there like a moron with my mouth hanging wide open."
"It was Brittina who finally snapped her out of it," Bonny chimed in on the conversation. "She reached over, closed Tara's mouth and said, 'You have gorgeous eyes,' or something to that effect. That's when Tara's mouth shifted into gear."
"Bonny!" Tara squealed and blushed a deeper shade of red.
"Well it did," Bonny answered her friend back. "You started yammering on about how marvelous Brittina was and how her voice was so velvety smooth and how gorgeous she is. I swear! Brittina probably thought you were hitting on her the way you started to paw and grope her while you were jumping up and down."
"On the streets of the Holy See?" Kim asked in astonishment.
Tara's hands quickly covered her face as she nodded weakly. The three girls giggled and laughed.
"What do you mean Tara was hittin on her?" Joss asked in confusion. "You mean you was fightin?"
"No Joss," Kim said, "she mean," she leaned over and whispered in her cousin's ear.
"Ewww," Joss whined, "you mean a girl and a girl doing... Ewww!"
"You're still young," Monique said to the petite red-head. "You never know, maybe that's the way you'll swing when you get a little older."
"No Siree Bob!" Joss said emphatically. "I don't never see myself with a feller, let alone another fe-male!"
"Just keep an open mind," Tara advised the preteen. "You still have a few years before you find out what your love life will entail."
"As the head of the Holy Roman Catholic Church," Ron said in serious manner, "I can not condone that sort of teaching."
"Ron!" Kim chided in disbelief and stared at him.
"KP, I did my duty," Ron said as his goofy grin appeared. "Now if Joss does move in that direction I can also say she'll have the love and support of you and me."
"Of course," Kim said in realization, "the Church officially frowns upon Lesbianism. You had to say it." She looked lovingly around the table at her friends. "I am SO gonna miss you guys."
"That goes double for me," Ron said sadly. "But you all have a standing invitation to visit whenever you like. Just let either of us know and we'll send the jet to pick you up."
"What about jobs?" Bonny asked slyly. "Could you find us jobs here in the Vatican? We had a marvelous tour of the See and I'd love to live in Rome!" Monique, Tara and Felix nodded in agreement.
Kim wiped her mouth, laid her napkin on her plate and leaned back in her chair. She coyly smiled as she said, "I think there might be an opening or two available in the near future."
"I know of one job that will be open soon," Miss Barker said with a gruff voice. The burly woman wiped her hands with a napkin and crossed her arms. "I have too much on my plate at the American School and want to pass along my job as instructor and supervisor for the cheer squad to someone else."
Kim looked over to her teal-eyed, brunette friend. "Bonny?"
"I would love to teach cheer!" Bonny said enthusiastically.
"The job's too big for just one person," Miss Barker added slyly. "You'll need an assistant."
"Tara?" Kim giggled to her platinum blond friend.
"Wow!" Tara exhaled, her blue eyes sparkling.
Miss Barker turned to Felix. "What about you Wheels? I hear you're dynamite on the basketball court and we'll need a new coach next season. The recruits are very raw, you'll have to start with fundamentals."
"I can do that," Felix said nodding with a big smile on his face.
"What about me?" Monique begged. "I ain't no coach or teacher."
"No," Ron said with a sly smile, "but Kim and I am looking for a designer for our clothes and such. I really hate all them robes and things and I only have a couple of suits. I'll need something I can look good in yet still appeal to the traditional crowd of the Church and Kim'll need new outfits too."
Monique got up and looked Ron up and down. "I see you in..."
"Now don't get ahead of yourselves," Miss Barker said harshly. "You all must graduate from high school before we can hire you."
"That's right people!" Mr. Barkin said as he strode into the room. A piece of toilet paper was stuck to the heel of his shoe. "You all have a semester and a half before I'll let you go out into the real world. And I don't expect you to start slacking off just because you have jobs to look forward to."
"Did you have something to do with this Mr. B?" Ron asked with a hint of knowing the answer.
"Who me?" Barkin begged innocently. "Why would I want to see a group of friends like you all are, make something of themselves and stick together?"
"Because deep down," Kim said as got up, went over the the Vice Principle and kissed him on the cheek, "you are just an old softy. Thank You."
The other teens offered their thanks as well.
Miss Barker stood and leaned on the table. "He is NOT an old softy!" She went over to Mr. Barkin and hooked her arm with his. "He's just an old army grunt that wants to see his students do well in the world. Don't you Stevie?" Miss Barker sweetly asked the bristly haired administrator as she gave him a peck on the cheek. She turned and pointed at Ron and Kim. "And you two are prime examples of what a proper administrator can make of his charges. Now, I'll see you two bright and early Monday morning, IN MY OFFICE!" She nodded definitively and strolled arm-in-arm out the door with Mr. Barkin.
"Did those two hit it off?" Ron wondered aloud.
The teens looked at Ron for a minute before they all started laughing.
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The scene at the big black jet was awash with tears and hugs. Kim wrapped her grandmother in a big embrace before she said, "I'm sorry Ron and I didn't get a chance to visit with you more Nana."
"Oh don't worry yourself none about that Dear," the older Possible said to her granddaughter. "I spent most of this trip out on the town drinking with some old army buddies."
"Just the same," Kim said as she hugged the white haired woman again, "you come visit us soon. Next time Ron and I will spend more time with you."
"I don't know Kimberly Ann," Nana said, "the Pope is a very busy man. I should know, I've met three... no four Popes before Ronald."
"We'll try to make it down to Florida soon anyway," Kim assured her grandmother. "In the meantime, you take care."
Slim Possible shook Ron's hand and said, "I always had you pegged as a greenhorn. You're not suited for the outdoor life but I think you staked out yourself a homestead here in Rome."
"Thanks Slim," Ron said and beamed. "You have a safe flight."
Joss grabbed Ron's hand and shook it vigorously. "I said it before and I'll say it again, you got gumption! Any Hombre that can take on the job as Pope has got to have nerves of steel!" She leaned in and whispered in the Pope's ear, "And Thanky kindly for the new wall poster of you. I know just where it'll go in my room."
"Smart as a whip!" Ron said happily. "Just don't grow up too fast there Joss. I'd hate to lose my number one fan to a new boyfriend."
"Gosh No!" Joss shook her head. She paused in thought then cupped her chin in one hand, "But then again there is this one boy in my class..."
"That's enough Josselyn," Slim said cutting her off and picking her up by the collar, "it's time to get back to the ranch. Them cattle don't feed and water themselves."
"Yes 'em Pa," Joss whined and walked up the stairs to the jet. Slim followed his daughter.
Kim and Ron took a few steps back and waved as the engines on the big black jet with the 'KP' logo fired up. It taxied a couple of yards before the engines swiveled into take-off position and lifted the craft rapidly into the air.
"Did you get a chance to say Good Bye to your folks?" Kim asked His Holiness as the two waved to the craft..
"Yeah," Ron nodded, "at about the same time you did with your Mom and Dad. Our parents went into the multi-room to make snacks for everyone for the trip back home."
Kim and Ron waved one last time as the engines pivoted into position and the jet took off into the sky.