Friday, August 8th

One more week before Sofia could stop working. Today was the last day she worked eight hours, the next six days were only four hours a day. From eight to twelve, a perfect time to work. She could take Susan to her parents, pick her up for lunch, spend the afternoon with her, go to the beach and visit Sara in the forest.

Rantanplan and Scooby came to the door to greet Sofia when she came home and growled at Jon, who was behind the blonde.

"Down boys, he's not a burglar."

"Watchdogs, very handy. Do you guys like a treat?" Jon pulled two dogs treats out of his pocket. Immediately they stopped growling and waggled with their tails. Blackmailing always worked.

"You just made two friends."

"I'm sure they're the best friends I can have in this house - and the most important ones. If you don't like me, I'd be in trouble whenever I come here. In case the other housemates want me here."

"We'll know soon. They should be in the garden."

"Mama! Mama!" Susan came running to her mother.

"Hey Sweetheart, how are you? Sorry, I can't pick you up, I can barely manage my own weight."

"Arms."

"Sorry, I can't. See this big belly?"

Susan looked disappointed at her mother before her attention moved to Jon.

"That's Jon, he might move in. You can say hello to him if you like."

"Hi."

"Hello beautiful lady, you have a lovely teddy."

"Ta."

"Is your mommy in the garden?"

"Yeah."

"Then we should go there." Sofia took the hand of her daughter and they went into the garden, where Sara and Steve sat next to the barbecue. Smoke rose up into the sky, a bucket with ice and cold drinks was placed in the shadow under a tree.

"Hey." The brunette got up, pulled her wife in her arms and kissed her. "I missed you. How are you?"

"We are all three fine. Honey, that's Jon. Jon, that's my wife Sara, the best CSI I've ever worked with and our son Stephen."

"The amazing Sara, who is famous in San Francisco and the Playstation fan."

"You play too?"

"I'm more a Wii person."

"Wii is cool too."

"I saw you have a nice big TV in the living room, pretty good for some games."

"Absolutely. Mom said you're living in a hostel at the moment, where do you play?"

"Usually I play when I have the day off. We have a community room, I've got a beamer, when you offer to play against life-sized opponents, most people want to join and it's a lot of fun."

"You have a beamer? I want this guy in our house! We can rearrange the living room, get a free wall and have great games nights."

"Why am I not surprised you say so?" Sara laughed. "You've got the first one on your side, Jon."

"Perfect. What am I supposed to do to get you on my side?"

"Sofia told me, you make her take breaks, bring her hot chocolate and fruits and carry the heavy boxes for her. That's enough for me."

"Cool. Three votes for me. How many more people do I have to impress?"

"Three. Or four. I have a feeling, we need to give Tanya a vote too. When my move-in-radar isn't mistaken, she'll move in with Don soon. Like this or next month." Sofia grinned.

"What makes you say this? Did they mention anything?" Sara asked.

"No, it only makes sense to me. Tanya is here a lot because Don wants to be around his daughter. Next month his sons will be born, he wants to spend time with them. It's easier for them to share a place and there's no chance Don leaves his children alone. Tanya likes it here, it's close to her favorite cousin, her godchild and next month she'll have a godchild here. They don't have a huge place, but all the space they need. She rents out her apartment more and more often and for longer terms. I think they'll let us know soon she moves in and her apartment is nothing more than a way to make money and a backup place in case it doesn't work out between them."

"She doesn't need to ask the other people if she can move in?" Jon wondered.

"No, we all know her for a long time, she lives her most times, it's okay. In fact, it's good for Sara and I, we'll have another babysitter and the father of our babies won't be away anymore to see his girlfriend. For us it's a win situation."

"So she's welcome because she's useful. What is my job here?"

"Pay the rent and do your parts of the housework. We have a lovely list, who is supposed to do what."

"I pay rent and have to do housework?"

"Yes, it's a hard contract."

"A challenge. Interesting. Wow, also very interesting." Jon cocked his head when he saw Tanya coming into the garden.

"Hi, I smell steaks and sense beer."

"I get you whatever you want when you share the room with me."

Tanya gave Jon a good look over. "Cute, another high school kid. Why do they always have a crush on me?"

"I'm not a high school kid, I'm a CSI."

"And I'm a dentist and my boyfriend is a cop. He'll be here in a few seconds, you better rethink your action."

"Ouch."

"You want her on your side, be nice." Sara chuckled. "Tanya, that's Jon, our maybe new housemate."

"Don will shoot him within days, make sure he pays in advance."

"Who will I shoot?" Don followed his girlfriend into the garden.

"Jon, the kid who hit on me."

"Really? So he has a good taste in women."

"He also owns a Wii and a beamer." Steve added.

"He gets points for that if he shares them with all of us. Which doesn't mean he's allowed to get his hands on my girl. This gorgeous woman is my girlfriend, I know she's very sexy and a woman, a man dreams of. You can dream of her, keep your dreams to yourself and leave it to dreams. Otherwise I'll make sure your life is hell."

"Nothing is more refreshing than being threaten by a possible new housemate. All right, she's off the market. A dentist. Bugger, I like doctors."

"He's the first one, who likes dentists." Tanya said. "A nice change."

"Are we late?" Sally and Tony hurried into the garden.

"The sausages are ready to eat, the steaks need a few more moments. Who wants a beer?" Steve got a few beers out of the bucket.

"You don't, you're too young." Sally took a bottle.

"Mom?"

"One beer is okay."

"Thanks."

"It's illegal, we have a cop in the garden."

"I'm off duty. When Steve wants a beer, I can't see anything bad about it. When I was his age, I drank beer too. Not in front of my parents because they didn't allow it, but I did. And I had more than one every time."

"One is enough, the taste is not that great. It's okay with a steak, but not for the whole evening. I prefer cocktails. My moms brought me great glasses from Las Vegas."

"You can have one later - but go easy on the alcohol, okay?" Sofia said.

"I prepared a gallon already - without alcohol. We have a long night of video games coming."

"Friday nights are so much fun since you live here, Steve." Tanya cheered. "They are even more fun when Don has Saturday off and ca join us. There's nobody I'd rather play against. He's such a sore loser."

"I don't lose."

"You lose all the time."

"Not when you don't cheat."

"Before we watch world war III, Tony and Sally, that's Jon, he is a colleague of me and would like to move in."

"Do you like loud parties?" Tony asked.

"Not when I have to work the next day. I like loud music, that's why I have headphones."

"Do you bring home another chick every night?"

"I'm not that lucky. Most girls I've met so far were criminals. Or backpacker."

"Do you steal food? Drinks?"

"No."

"Do you clean up after yourself?"

"Of course."

"Do you mind people in garden? Your window faces the garden."

"Are you having loud parties when other in the house have to work?"

"No, we keep the noise down after ten. Our neighbors appreciate that too. There might be people around until late, but not loud. It's one of the house rules."

"And everybody sticks to the rules?"

"Yes, we made the rules together and I can't remember the last time one of us broke the rules." Tony looked at Sally. "Can you?"

"No. Do you like the dogs?"

"The more important question is, do they like me? I'm a dog person. Why?"

"Because they're here all the time and they are Sofia's, but we all look after them. Means, we don't feed them unless we're asked to do so or when Sara and Sofia can't come home on time to do it themselves. Then we leave a note so nobody else feeds them again. We do take them for walks when we feel like having some exercise, again, we leave a note. And we always lock the front door because they know how to open it."

"Okay."

"For me he passed the test." Tony decided.

"I think you passed the test for all of us." Sofia smiled. "Welcome to your new home."

"Wow, thanks."

"First rule: you have to organize a barbecue for us."

"I can do that. How about next Saturday?"

"Perfect. Big party next weekend!"

"I pack my stuff tonight, load everything in the car and go shopping after work for the barbecue. One more thing: can I also see my room?"

"You get a complete house tour after dinner. First food then walk. Honey, can you give him the tour?"

"Of course." Sara got her arm her lover. So they had a new housemate. A nice one. She was sure, they'd all be happy with Jon.