Chapter 35
A gazillion shots and several wardrobe changes later, the shoot was complete. Jean-Luc voiced a quick goodbye to all, kissed Nudge's hand and with a wink he was out the door, screaming to his thin and pale personal assistant something about a flight to London.
Throughout most of the afternoon the flock and I hung back and relaxed. We had watched Nudge with excitement as she began the shoot. Okay - that excitement lasted all of fifteen minutes. So we drew back into a corner and kept ourselves productively occupied. Gazzy and Fang invited Jeb and Dr. Papa over for a rousing game of poker – a game I am certain that Dr. Papa's wallet regrets. Jeb knew better and folded on every hand. Angel worked with Total on flying technique while I caught murmurings of Ella's excited conversation with Iggy. Ella filled him in on school and soccer while Iggy detailed our latest adventures – without the scary Flyboy parts. Gillian kept my mom occupied with stories of our week in New York and the future of DoSomethingNow.
As for me, I tried to enjoy the mindless nothingness that comes with just kicking back in a comfy chair and staring out into throngs of people, observing their busyness. Not happening. Nope. Instead my mind raced from Itex to our battles with the Flyboys. I reflected on the battle in Germany – I wondered who was running the show now that the Director, Dr, Janssen, my ex-mom, was in jail. Yeah – and for those of you who forgot about that – yes, at one time, that crazy lady did have me convinced that she was my mom.
Delusional megalomaniac.
And then, thank God I found out who my real mom was. Hmmm. My mom. How nice it would have been to grow up in her small house in Arizona. My eyes misted up just picturing what my life might have been like. Ella. Birthday parties. Christmas trees.
Yeah, right.
No little house on the prairie for me. Instead – I got dealt the growing up in a cage, fight evil wolf people, voice in my head card. That was my reality. Yeah, well – reality sucked big time. Except for my family – my flock. That was the one good thing about my life. And the wings weren't so bad. And the not going to school part.
Okay – maybe my life wasn't so so bad – as long as I could stay away from cages.
I was knee deep in my own personal conflict when my mom tapped me on the shoulder.
"Earth to Max?!" she teased.
I broke out of my daydream and glanced up at her with a smile. Her face gathered a more serious look as she saw the tears in my eyes. She sat down next to me and took my hand. "I think you and I are going to have a date tonight on the couch with a quart of Ben and Jerry's."
I shrugged. I really didn't know if I could talk about all that was going on – especially with Fang. But I sure was warming up to the idea of hanging out with my mom. Just me and her. And ice cream.
Flashing her a quick grin, I cleared my throat and said, "I think we might need a gallon."
Our Hallmark moment was broken up by the girl of the hour.
"Max! Did you see me?!" Nudge yelled as she raced toward us. She was sporting the last of her fifty outfit changes – a tight black tee advertising GreenPeace – in green - and a clean pair of jeans – as opposed to our normal, run of the mill grubby ones. She continued, "That was the most fun I've ever had – even better than our trip to Disney World or Paris or even the carousel last night!"
The rest of our misfit crew had joined us and I observed both my mom and Jeb raising eyebrows and glancing questioningly at one another on that carousel comment.
"Nudge, you were so beautiful up there," said Angel, awestruck. "When we get done saving the world again, you should come back to New York and be a model."
Okay – now all of us had raised eyebrows and eyes the size of soccer balls.
"Um… Angel. I don't think we need to worry everyone - " I cautioned.
"Oh, it's okay, Max. Jeb and your mom can know. We need to tell them everything about Itex and about everything that's been happening to us.
"You see, Max," Angel explained. "You're going to save the world again and this time they're going to help us."