21
Thanks to everybody for all the reviews...they're really great guys. I appreciate them all...(hugs reviews) anyway, next chapter.
"No way." Vannesa said, crossing her arms. "No way am I wearing that."
Cedric sighed. "Its just a hat...and this is for my parents, you need to look like the real deal."
"I'll feel silly." Vannesa sighed.
Cedric half-smiled at her. "Look, its only dinner...an hour or two at most. And if we can make it through, we're set. We won't have to hide anymore."
Vannesa hung her head. "We'll always be hiding Cedric. We just won't be doing it in the literal sense...but I'll never be able to be completely at ease. We'll always have to worry about someone finding out."
Cedric cast her a mournful look. "I'm trying my best here Vannesa, really, I am...I'm just running out of ideas..." he lamented.
Vannesa smiled feebly at him. She went behind him and massaged his back. "I know Ceddie, I know...I'm sorry. Its just...frusterating. I'll wear the hat." she said.
Cedric smiled back. "Thanks..." he said. "Now, you come to Skellington Manor at six thirty okay? Its the tall, skinny house on the hill.." he pointed towards it from the window.
Vannesa rolled her eyes. "Skellington Manor, tall and skinny? I never would have guessed." she joked.
"Ha ha ha.."Cedric said dryly. "Anyways, be sure you're in the outfit then. Now, lets go over the signals."
Vannesa sighed. "I feel like a trained dog." she said. Cedric chose to ignore that. "Now, if I clap, you...?"
"Say, 'I don't know."
"Right. Now, if I yawn, that means...?"
"Gee its getting late."
"Correct. Now, I tap my skull, you...?"
"Yes."
"Uh-huh, and, last one, if I scratch my face, it means...?"
"No."
Cedric grinned. "You got it...of course, you can make up your own answers. But if you're stuck, I'll try and help you out." he said.
Vannesa sighed. "Fine. I shall try my best to appear to be the best behaved young witch I can."
Cedric kissed her. "Exactly."
"Tonight Jack?" Sally asked. Jack nodded. "I told Cedric, and he agreed."
Sally bit her lip. She stared at the cupboards. "Hmmmm, what to make..." she murmered to herself.
Jack laughed. "I'm sure whatever it is will be delicous." he assured.
He noticed red puffy rings around her eyes. "Sally? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
Sally looked at the ground, nervously wringing her hands. "I don't know what to do Jack...I don't want to be trapped in between you and Cedric...I just can't choose something like that."
"Ooooh...babydoll, I would never make you choose sides." Jack said, wrapping his arms around her. Sally laid her head on his chest.
"What about this girl Jack? What if she's trouble? Ceddie's been acting even more strange since he met her."
Jack chuckled. "Don't worry Sally...we don't even have any troubled kids Cedric's age in HalloweenTown, except those pranksters..." Jack growled at the end.
Sally laughed. "I guess you're right Jack..." she said.
"Feel better?" Jack asked. Sally nodded. "Good. I'm going to bring up some wine...I invited Jake and Sam to dinner as well."
Sally groaned. "That's alot of people to cook for impromptu Jack." she stated, wondering how on earth she would feed all these people.
"Ceddie, are you screwed up in the skull?!" Jake yelled to his brother. Cedric had gone from the doctor's to Jake Skellington's home, to begin part two of his plan.
Cedric sighed. "No Jake, I'm not screwed up in the skull..."
"Little bro, you're bringing a human to Skellington Manor, tell me, what's wrong with that sentence?" Jake said while pacing. "Talk about headfirst into the lion's den..." he muttered.
"Can you help me or not?" Cedric asked.
Jake sighed. "Ceddie...why do you drag me into these things? Alright, alright...I'll be your back up. But if you get caught, your head's on the line."
"Thanks Jake!" Cedric said, giving his brother a hug. Jake, taken by surprise, wasn't sure what to do.
"Hey now, don't get all soft on me now Cedric." he said. Cedric let him go. He was just grateful, alot of brothers wouldn't back him up like this...I mean, Jake was risking too. He was a Pumpkin King in training, if word got out he was helping humans into HalloweenTown, well, it would stain his reputation for sure.
Jake scowled. "Bro, I hope you know what you're doing." he said.
"Almost ninety-five percent sure." Cedric replied.
Jake raised an eyebrow ridge. "Ninety five? What's the other five percent?"
Cedric grimaced. "They find out..."
His errands done, Cedric headed back home, this time actually through the front door. Jack was gone with the mayor, but Ceddie could smell fragrant scents coming from the kitchen.
He opened the wooden door to see Sally busilly cooking three dishes at once. She seemed to be running from stirring the pot on the stove, to checking what was cooking in the oven, to cutting up some vegtables. It was really quite amussing seeing her stitched legs dashing about.
"Hey, Mom, when's dinner?" he asked, but immediatly regretted the question. When she turned to face him, he could see tear stains on her face.
She sighed. "I don't know yet...six or seven." she said, hurridly heading towards the pot on the stove.
Cedric felt sick. Those tears on her face were because of him. The one person he didn't want to get hurt...
"Mom?" he said.
"Yes Ceddie?" Sally said, a little impatiently, as she was busy.
Cedric bit where his lip should be. "I'm...sorry for...yelling and all..." he said.
Sally turned around to face him. "Cedric Skellington, the one thing I will not do is choose sides between you and your father...I just can't." she said.
Cedric felt horrible. "I know...I'm sorry..."he said. And he meant it too. He had made her cry...
Sally bit her lip. "Your father is trying Ceddie, he really is..."
"I know." Cedric sighed.
They stood in silence, until the quiet was broken by the boiling of water.
"Oh!" Sally exclaimed rushing over to the pot and stirring it. Cedric exitted the kitchen, feeling extrememly relieved that he wasn't a cook.
"This is completely irrational!" Chester whined. "They'll find out!"
Vannesa sighed. "I know its risky, but its just dinner...what could go wrong?"
Chester frowned. "They could discover you, and sentence you to burn at the stake." he said dryly.
Vannesa sat up. "They still do that?!"
Chester shrugged. "This is a strange place, who knows what kind of laws they have here? I'm just pointing out the very real possibility of discovery."
Vannesa grimaced. "Point taken. But Ceddie said he had a plan, and I trust him."
Chester yawned. "What if he's lying?"
"Cedric wouldn't lie to me." Vannesa said defensively. "If he says he has a plan, he has a plan."
Chester looked skeptic. "Perhaps its time to get out of here...we're in too deep."
Vannesa shook her head. "And leave Cedric? No." she said.
Chester yawned. "Its near six thirty, perhaps you should be going?"
Vannesa glanced at the steel clock on the town hall from the window. "Yeah...wish me luck..." she gulped. "I'm going to need it..."
I know, I know...the dinner is next chapter...don't hate me!! (flinches) Anyway, (passes around tattered review hat) reviews?