Metamorphoses and Growth (Chapter Seventeen)
Manhattan- Hunter Apartment, Wednesday, January 18,2017
Maya woke up to her alarm at 6:00 AM and was ready to rebury herself under her sheets and blankets but remembered what day it was- her 16th Birthday so she quickly got up and dressed herself, shoved her homework into her backpack then ran out of her room into the kitchen area where she discovered instead of either parent. .
"A note: ' Happy Birthday Baby Girl/Hijita/Child! It's a BIG one for all of us and we're sorry we can't be there to celebrate it with you this morning but we haven't forgotten and we'll meet you at the Greenwich Village Post Office at 4:30 PM for your gift! Love, Mom, Daddy and Nana' . Great, they've gotten me my own post box- just what I always wanted. Well, it looks like Daddy fixed a bacon, oatmeal and orange juice breakfast and it's all still hot so I guess they just ran out minutes ago," Maya sighed to herself as she tried to console herself with the card.
. …
Abigail Adams High School, Hallway Outside Cory Matthews's Classroom 7AM.
"It's somewhat apt that it's cold and foggy outside. Just like my mood," Maya groaned.
"So they got you a post office box? What a bummer," Riley sighed.
"I know. I guess it's more practical than that Chia pet Uncle Eric got you that time for your birthday," Maya groaned.
" No, it was actually my Aunt Nebula (Mom's sister) who got me that one. Uncle Eric's present was a Chia training and obedience manual, "Riley sighed.
"Oh, yeah! Now I remember. He actually tried to teach it to fetch and roll over," Maya chuckled.
" Here's a card for you, Maya!" Riley tried to enthuse.
" That's a nice card. Thanks, Riley," Maya sighed as she looked at it as she barely glanced at it.
" I'm sorry but I couldn't get you much of anything else at this time and. ." Riley groaned.
"It's okay. Truly. I guess everyone thinks I've outgrown birthdays," Maya sighed.
" Is Mr. Matthews's door still locked?" Zay asked.
" Yep, I'd try to pull it open but I'm afraid I'd break the hinges and you know how Farkle got upset the last time I did that," Lucas groaned.
"Yeah, he always cringes when you or, lately, his father does some kind of feat of strength. Poor little guy," Zay laughed.
" Where IS Farkle anyway?"Maya asked.
"You know he's been on that extended Minkus training program, Maya!" Zay recalled.
"But it's been almost a month. Haven't you heard anything, Isadora?" Riley asked.
"No, not a peep since we let out for Christmas. I hate to think he's abandoned us altogether," Isadora sighed.
"I don't think he's abandoned us," Riley tried to enthuse.
"But where oh where is my Significant Other? I'd hate to think he's been transformed into an android or automaton," Isadora sniffed.
"Do you think Mr. Minkus would do that to his own son?" Zay asked.
"Remember how everyone wondered if he might be a clone,robot or something and it took some time for him to cough up his birth certificate? "Lucas recalled.
"Just when we were getting to know him as human, "Zay sighed.
"I guess we need to get used to be abandoned again. I thought Christmas was going to herald a new era of I everyone being chummy and close but . ..where is Mr. Matthews anyway?" Maya asked.
" He was at the table at breakfast but I haven't seen him since," Riley sighed.
" He somehow ditched you on the way here?" Zay gulped.
"Yeah, it looks like. .." Riley sighed.
"WRONG! Riley! I'm right here but I had to okay everything with Principal Williams," Cory exclaimed with brief case in hand.
"What did you have to okay, Mr. Matthews?" Riley asked.
"In honor of it being Maya's Birthday AND because we have been honored to be witnesses to a special metamorphosis, we're having class in the Gym!" Cory exclaimed.
"In the gym?" Billy Ross scoffed.
" Mr. Matthews, I'm an artist, singer and composer- not a jockette," Maya scoffed.
"You'll want to be treated to THIS one. Everyone will. Since everyone's now here. Follow me to the gym- and Happy Birthday, Maya!" Cory exclaimed.
"Thanks, Mr. Matthews," Maya tried to enthuse but was still in blah mood.
. .
"So what do you have at . .. FARKLE?! Is that you?!" Maya gulped as she and the others entered the gym and saw Farkle -but not as they recalled him just a month prior.
Farkle was attired in tomato red gym shorts and a sky blue t-shirt and barefoot but that it wasn't his atypically casual attire that got everyone startled.
"Farkle! You're as TALL as me and you've even gained some muscle tone!" Lucas gulped as he stood next to Farkle.
"Yep! This is the result of Father's metamorphosis program. I agreed to it so I could do more to help you and all my other friends," Farkle insisted as he stood next to Lucas and brushed his right hand over both the tops of their noggins to compare their height.
"You're voice is deeper,too," Zay gulped.
"Do more? What do you mean?" Riley asked.
"Well, until now I've only been able to help everyone through scientific and intellectual capacities as well as being the class clown but now not only will I not be a burden to anyone from a lack of physical prowess but I will also be your protector!" Farkle insisted as he raised himself on his toes.
"Protector," Zay laughed.
"Yeah, you have more muscle tone than before, which was none, but you're nowhere close to being as strong as me," Lucas laughed.
"Well, no one can say you're a nothing now," Billy Ross laughed as he gripped Farkle's right bicep then gulped.
"Glad you agree! Billy, if you and Lucas will each hug my torso with your arms as tight as you can, I'll give the chance to see what I did during the rope climb back in 7th grade," Farkle insisted.
"But what.. ?" Billy asked.
"Just do it! He's going to show how much resistance he can now give if we use all our combined strength to hold him down," Lucas laughed as he hugged Farkle's torso on the left side.
"OK, "Billy gulped as he got on Farkle's right side.
"Now whatever you do. Don't let go!" Farkle insisted.
"Let go? What do you. .." Lucas started to ask.
"On the count of three.. .1, 2 . LAUNCH" Farkle shouted then actually leaped UP . ..with both Lucas and Billy clinging to his torso for dear life before he clutched with both hands an overhead steel beam 35 feet above the gym floor while everyone else in the gym screamed in shock over what they witnessed.
"F-f-fark F-farkle?" Cory gulped.
"G-get us d-down,F-f-farkle," Lucas stuttered.
"In due time!" Farkle shouted as he started to swing on the beam.
"Quick! Call the Fire Department! Get a ladder!" Cory gulped.
"Don't call them, Mr. Matthews. I've got this. I won't let anyone get injured!" Farkle shouted.
"But how?" Cory gasped.
" Y-yeah? HOW?!" Billy gulped.
"You think someone who's shown he's capable of leaping five times the Guiness Record for a free standing jump while carrying more than double his bodyweight won't have this under control?" Farkle laughed.
"He's pulling himself up but can he get the others ..?" Isadora asked in a panic.
"No, he's CHINNING himself. . . .twenty reps. Now he's chinning himself with each arm!" Maya gulped as she witnessed Farkle due these unbelievably physically challenging stunts with apparent ease.
"So how are you planning to get down?" Isadora shouted.
"Like this! " Farkle shouted as he let go and jumped DOWN landing on his feet.
"NO!" the whole room shouted then covered their eyes.
They opened them half a second later expecting each but especially Farkle to be a broken, battered pile of bones.
" H-he braced our whole combined body weights with his feet and landed on them," Lucas gulped as he and Billy let go their death grips of Farkle's torso.
"Are you okay, Lucas, Billy. .. Farkle?" Riley gulped.
"Y-yeah,"Billy gulped.
" We didn't feel the slightest jar landing. Farkle absorbed ALL our combined body weight with his feet and . .." Lucas shuddered.
"Toes, metatarsal bones, ankles et cetera all perfectly intact! "Farkle beamed as he bounced on his toes a couple of times- six to ten feet into the air with each bounce.
"Are you certain you don't need to see the school nurse for an X-ray or C.A.T. scan?" Isadora asked.
"Nope! They'd be useless since my cellular structure is now too dense for any kind of rays or radiation to penetrate it," Farkle shrugged.
"Farkle, you sure have demonstrated to the class perhaps the ultimate metamorphosis. Care to explain HOW you've become likely the strongest boy in . ..?" Cory gulped.
"The universe?" Riley gulped.
"Nah, just the 2nd strongest bipedal life form in the known galaxy," Farkle shrugged.
"Let me take a wild guess as to who's Numero Uno!" Cory gulped.
" Yep, Father! His and my physiognomy both were capable of fast growth spurts which he somewhat accelerated in my case AND he used a special set of exercises and therapies that are effective with only with our own sets DNA to transform our anatomies into virtually invincible physiques,"Farkle explained.
"So, that's why you are in gymnastic attire instead of your usual school attire," Isadora pondered.
"Yes, I needed to demonstrate to everyone that it was me and not any gadgets, devises or even shoes that has made this possible," Farkle laughed.
"Woah! The two of you will be unstoppable!" Lucas gulped.
"That's not why I agreed to Father's request. I want to be able to prove I could transform my body as much as my brain for the sake of my friends' protection and safety. Also, I knew Father needs me as an ameliorating counterpart to keep his natural megalomaniacal tendencies at bay- and I wanted to give you a 16th Birthday Present you'd never forget, Maya!" Farkle explained.
"You sure did that! Welcome back, Farkle!" Maya exclaimed as she hugged him.
" You didn't need to change, Buddy," Lucas offered.
"I know but I just wanted to be the best Farkle I could be just like Isadora's the best Isadora she can be!"Farkle offered as he hugged Isadora.
"Oh, Significant Other! Forgive my emotional overdrive but I can't imagine ever swooning for any other besides you after these demonstrations," Isadora swooned as she hugged back.
"Darn it," Lucas replied with a snap of his fingers.
"Way to go getting so strong as to be able to leap 30 feet into the air with two guys leaning on you!" Billy laughed.
"Actually, I had to tone it down a bit to make sure I didn't crash through the roof so your skulls and bone structures wouldn't have been damaged in the process," Farkle shrugged as he picked up a 30 pound solid metal kettlebell- then compacted it to half its original width by crushing it between his hands.
"F-far-k-kle?!"Cory gulped.
"Tell Mrs. Matthews thank to thank her for teaching me how to knead dough. That skill comes in handy!" Farkle laughed- as he then stretched the kettlebell to about twice it's original width by pulling it.
"You sure are nowhere near as strong as I am- you must be thousands of times stronger!" Lucas gulped.
"So, now I'm the sidekick's sidekick. Why not?" Zay laughed.
"Well, get dressed so we can go back to the classroom to discuss metamorphosis in more detail," Cory laughed.
. ..
. .
"Are you sure none of you can join me at the DMV after school?" Maya asked.
"No, we all have things we can't put off but we look forward to hearing about it after you've finished," Riley beamed.
At about 4:15 Maya came back to the Hunter Apartment with her new Driver's License in hand.
"Mom! Daddy! I DID it . You're still not here and . .another text reminding me to come to the Post Office in 15 minutes. So far, apart from Farkle getting to be SuperFarkle, what a sucky birthday it's been," Maya fumed as she dropped off her book bag.
. .
At about 4:25 Maya was outside the Greenwich Village Post Office in a rarther foul mood.
"What's wrong, Maya?" Isadora asked as she seemed happen upon her while walking into the Post Office.
" I thought things were going to change with Daddy marrying Mom, her getting pregnant with his twins and then Nana coming into the family but they've all neglected me on my birthday AGAIN!" Maya sniffed.
"How can you be so certain?" Isadora asked.
"Mom and Daddy just dashed out the door before I woke up and left me a note saying to come here to get my post office box. What do I need a box office box for?" Maya sniffed.
" Did they say so in so many words?" Isadora asked.
"No, but what else can you get at the Post Office?" Maya sniffed.
"Today can't be all bad. I mean, not only did Farkle become so totally unforgettable but you were due to get your Driver's License. How did that go?" Isadora asked.
" I didn't really want to get one but Daddy said I should have that skill for an emergency, despite the fact that Daddy has to park HIS car in a garage three blocks away from our apartment, so I did it," Maya sighed.
"That's a good thing!" Isadora exclaimed.
"Look at this picture! It's UGLY but they said I had to keep it or go back in line all over again," "Maya fumed as she took out her Temporary License (the Permanent one due to be mailed in two weeks) and displayed her photo.
"If I do say myself, you truly cannot take an unappealing photograph but what an odd facial expression," Isadora pondered.
"When they were about to take the picture, the photographer asked where I found my rummage sale reject clothes so I cursed him out and THAT is when he snapped the photo," Maya groaned.
"It's still a viable photograph and you ARE a licensed driver so those are positive things to come out of today," Isadora pondered.
"What's the point of getting a post office box anyway? And what's the worst Mom and Daddy can do- yell at me for not getting one?" Maya fumed as she started to walk away from the Post Office Front Door.
"Even if it isn't what you may have wanted, a gift is better than no acknowledgement whatsoever so come inside!" Isadora insisted as she grabbed Maya's right hand and led her in.
"Fine, I'll get it over with," Maya sighed.
So the two of them walked inside.
"Here's the number the Post Office texted me #456. I still don't see why. .." Maya groaned as Isadora led her inside to the main waiting room.
"Number 455 - Report to the Special Parcel Office," the loudspeaker droned.
"Smackle, you may be right. It could be something besides a post office box," Maya gulped.
"You think?" Isadora laughed.
"Number 456- Report to the Passport Office. ." the loudspeaker droned.
"Hunh, passport, " Maya scoffed as she barely crawled from her seat.
Then a second later.
"Passport?!" Maya gulped and ran towards that office where.
"Happy Birthday, Maya!" Katy, Shawn, Lydia, Jack, Morgan, Cory, Topanga, Riley, Auggie, Lucas, Rachel,Eric, T.J(Tommy), Agent LaChance , Farkle, Minkus, Jennifer Bassett Minkus, Zay, Mr. and Mrs. Babideaux,Isadora and Mr. and Mrs. Smackle all shouted at once with Shawn and Jack on ladders hoisting up a large 'Happy 16th Birthday, Maya!' banner.
"Oh, Mom! Daddy! Nana! Uncle Jack! Thanks for this passport but what. ..?" Maya gulped while crying happy tears.
"Well, we know we were tough on all of you kids from Thanksgiving Monday until Christmas Eve but all of you WERE truant as well as put yourselves at risk for being arrested, seriously hurt or even killed so we had to come down on you hard with all that harsh curfew and no phones for that," Katy explained.
"Yes, Mom, we know," Maya groaned.
"However; Maya you DID risk all that to reunite me with Mama despite my toxic, self-destructive pessimism cheating me out of that possibility for far too long and all your friends risked their safety not just for to try to heal our hearts but to keep you safe and I said I'd be in your debt so. .." Shawn explained.
"So, since your father just got his revised Birth Certificate and own Passport with his FACTUAL information and we made sure every other legal document he'd filled out right up to his marriage license and your adoption papers has been retroactively corrected and legit, NOW is the time for him and your mother to sign their consent for you to get this passport!" Topanga explained.
"Thanks but I doubt I have the funds to cross over to Niagara Falls, Ontario much less. .." Maya groaned.
Shawn and Jack climbed down from the ladders and then Shawn walked up to Maya.
"Niagara Falls is really cool but you're an artist so what better place to make your first international trip to than. ..?" Shawn started to ask.
"D-d-daddy?! You and Mom are sending me to PARIS?!" Maya gulped.
"Yep, the one in France instead of Texas or Hilton," Lucas laughed.
Maya actually squealed at that one.
"Oh, THANK YOU, Mom and Daddy! I can't BELIEVE it!" Maya shrieked about an octave higher than her usual pitch and hugged both her parents.
"Yes, ma'am, Child! You are going to see the City of Lights with your closest friends!" Lydia beamed as she hugged Maya while Riley, Farkle, Lucas, Zay and Isadora all nodded.
"Yes, our Spring Break is in April so we're sending all of you there to. .." Cory started to say.
"Yes, Yama! We're ALL going! " Riley squealed.
"WOW! Wait. .you're actually going to trust the six of us not to get into trouble overseas?" Maya asked.
"We're NOT that naïve like Kimberly Sussman's parents," Topanga laughed.
"Who?" Riley and Maya asked.
"Long story. But we've arranged for you six to stay at a trusted old friend's townhouse on the Champs Elysee," Cory added (not wanting to recount the details of Shawn and him having gotten drunk off of Alan's stolen whiskey as teens while at Kimberly Sussman's party with the Sussman parents nowhere to be found- then later getting arrested for peeing on a cop car to Alan and Amy's fury).
" Whose? " Maya asked.
" General Jared and Angela Moore Crenshaw's! " Topanga beamed.
"And since I had experience corralling your Uncles Jack and Eric even BEFORE I became the Friar ranch marm to Caleb, then Pappy Joe and Lucas, I'm coming along to make sure you mind the Crenshaws' and your folks' rules abroad," Rachel added.
"Even with us two guys living with her, Rachel was NEVER a pushover. Somewhat like Morgan having to deal with her three brothers," Jack laughed.
"So I got it in BOTH homes, " Eric recalled.
"You'd better believe it!" Morgan laughed.
"But we still can have lots of fun! I mean, it's PARIS with all kinds of cool stuff for everyone to see and do and now that Smartphones have Universal Translators at our finger tips, we'll have no language barriers!" Farkle insisted while starting to hug Maya.
"Careful, Son. You don't want to rupture vertebrae! " Minkus warned.
"Yes, Father. I'll be careful with Maya and Isadora and all other humans besides you," Farkle groaned.
"So we'll leave the three of you inside the Passport Office to fill out the Forms and take your picture! Then the Minkuses will fetch us on their helicopter to Dandelion Fields where we're having a celebration dinner for you and your friends, Child!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged Maya then Shawn then Katy.
. ..
"Are you sure you'll be okay, Mom, with me being in Paris when. .?Maya asked about an hour later while everyone was at the Fields' Green Barn Café dining room at Dandelion Fields.
"Well, the twins should be here at the end of April but if they come any earlier, then we're arranging it with the airline that you can fly back on the first available transatlantic flight! " Katy explained.
"You sure are getting big, Mom," Maya exclaimed.
"Don't remind me, Baby Girl. I was so much smaller carrying you at this stage but there was only ONE of you," Katy sighed.
"But it hasn't cooled down Daddy's love for you any…" Maya scoffed.
"Maya, you can't tell what happens between a married . .." Katy sputtered.
"I'm happy to leave whatever you two do in your bedroom to yourselves . However just the way he looks into your eyes, kisses your cheek and clutches your hand- not to mention helping you up from chairs. As far as I can remember, you and Dad NEVER had what you and Daddy have," Maya beamed.
"That's so sweet, Baby Girl. I . .oh no. I was hoping to hold it in until he got back from his own pit stop," Katy sighed.
"Don't worry, Mom. Nana and I will help you on your feet and get you there in plenty of time!" Maya insisted.
"Katy? You sure you don't need me to. .?" Shawn asked as he returned from his pit stop then saw Maya and Lydia help Katy.
"No, Gorgeous. We got this. Just keep our places warm at the table,"Katy insisted as the three left as Shawn sat down.
. .
"Oh, Shawn. There you are. I was hoping to talk to you a bit. ." Jennifer Bassett Minkus insisted a few minute later.
"Katy should be back from the powder room before too long so you can work out the details about. .." Shawn scoffed as he started to rise on his feet.
"Shawn, you've been avoiding me and I want that to stop now!" Jennifer insisted- as she sat down in Katy's vacated seat.
" That's Katy's seat and I don't recall my giving you permission to sit there," Shawn fumed as he sat back down.
"You've given my husband and even Harley Keiner second chances so why not..?" Jennifer sniffed.
"OK, somehow you charmed Stuart to pick you above all other single women in the world to marry , managed to bear his son and not undo Stuart's positive effects on Farkle's character so I guess I have to give you some credit," Shawn scoffed.
"Shawn, you're being rude! Are you still sore about getting you tied to the boathouse?" Jennifer asked.
"Even though it's something I'd urge prosecution for if it had happened to anyone else-especially my offspring and friends, I'm actually not sore about that,"Shawn half-laughed.
"Really? Why?" Jennifer asked.
"Because from my epiphany about it, I got a few good years being committed to Angela until it was over but have been able to use that time to build on for my current blissful bond with Katy so I actually have to give you some credit," Shawn sighed.
"So why are you holding this grudge?" Jennifer asked.
"Because you not only insisted on my severing ties with my oldest and closest friend but you belittled and demeaned me for HAVING that bond with Cory- as if having a platonic friend was something to be ashamed of," Shawn fumed.
"You're right. I did, " Jennifer sighed.
"Was it because you were jealous of my giving anyone or anything else even a tiny bit of attention away from you?" Shawn snorted.
"No, not exactly! You see, I didn't really have any friends. ." Jennifer sighed.
"You didn't have friends? But you were beautiful, rich teen queen bee with a killer wardrobe and drove a convertible," Shawn scoffed.
"You think that shallow stuff draws anything besides shallow folks?" Jennifer sighed.
"What about Dana and Libby? Don't tell me that I was just the common enemy for you all to be Avenging Angels against!" Shawn sneered.
" Remember Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back?"Jennifer asked.
"Of course," Shawn scoffed.
"You think he had any friends?" Jennifer asked.
"No but Dana and Libby… " Shawn scoffed.
"Were like two Admiral Ozzels- as clumsy as they were STUPID!" Jennifer scoffed.
"Yeah, they were both soap bubble sharp at that," Shawn half-laughed.
"So, to be perfectly candid, I ENVIED what you had with Cory. Even though he knew you had all kinds of trouble from your father and stepmother, he actually helped you instead of screaming into the night," Jennifer sighed.
"Wait a minute. You had trouble from your family?" Shawn asked.
"You think dysfunctional families only happen to Jerry Springer folks? "Jennifer asked.
"No, but you were treated like a princess with your own convertible. ." Shawn pondered.
"A princess who thought that all I had to do was join King Daddy in taunting Mother to reap rewards but then Daddy tried to insist I marry one of his business associates for some kind of conglomerate merger but I couldn't. He'd been divorced five times, was a cocaine fiend, and bragged about his love nests- even in front of me and Mother," Jennifer sighed.
"I never imagined I'd ever feel sorry for you but I actually do since it's unlike what happened to Mama way back when. She ran away and eventually found one of the worst possible husbands she could have- Chet Hunter who disavowed her for his shack up Virna then hid us from each other to pocket my welfare checks for booze and coffin nails," Shawn groaned.
"That's not exactly what happened to me. ." Jennifer gulped.
"You mean, you and Stuart. .?" Shawn gulped.
" Yes, Daddy cut me off from college then cancelled all my charge cards and threw me out of the house, and barred me from the country club and all the vacation homes so I went to see if I could find a scholarship to somehow give me enough stay in a dorm . Oh, as for Dana and Libby? Couldn't be bothered to so much as return my calls once I had no monies," Jennifer sighed.
"Bummer but so not surprised," Shawn groaned.
"Anyway, even though I admit that I hadn't considered him worth giving the time of day to before , it was good to see a familiar face from John Adams High at the scholarship office when I bumped into Stuart who had even less liquid funds left than me at the time but he actually convinced the scholarship board to finance his 'crazy' project. So I asked him to lunch to give me some sales tactics," Jennifer recounted.
"I'm sure he came up with some insane and intense pitches," Shawn pondered.
"Yes, but then I thought if I were to marry him, that would get Daddy to put all thought of having me marry that utter creep out of his head then Daddy would say he was sorry and I'd get the thing with Stuart annulled and I could go back to me being Daddy's spoiled princess forever so I proposed to Stuart," Jennifer recalled.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me but you two are still married so I guess your best laid plans. ." Shawn scoffed.
" There were several factors that turned those best laid plans askance. Did you ever see Revenge of the Nerds? " Jennifer asked.
"Yes, but. .." Shawn pondered.
"Remember when the stuck up cheerleader Betty Childs wound up having sex with the head nerd Lewis Skolnick then wound up falling in love with him due to their encounter?" "Jennifer asked.
"You mean. ..?" Shawn gulped.
"Yes! I actually fell in lust and in love with Stuart. I sure didn't expect to but, afterwards, I couldn't imagine not being Mrs. Stuart Minkus. Do you know what our songs are?" Jennifer giggled with a leer..
"Thomas Dolby's 'She Blinded Me with Science'?"Shawn laughed.
"No, Frankie Goes to Hollywood 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome' with the lines 'I will give you diamonds by the shower/ Love your body even when it's old' and the other is Police's 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' with the lines 'I will turn your face to alabaster/ Then you'll find your servant is your master/ Then you'll be wrapped around my finger!'- and that's exactly what's happened with me and Stuart," Jennifer laughed in a saucy tone.
"Never would have imagined that passion alone with. .." Shawn gulped.
"Stuart's appearance has only improved and even seems younger than when we married! Then I bore Farkle and that was even more of gamechanger," Jennifer exclaimed.
"No doubt I'm going to have that happen twice in April so how did it work for you?" Shawn pondered.
"Farkle's taught me to think outside my self more than anyone else in my life and someone to care about and ,by his example, has opened my mind to care about others like he has all along. Stuart has always said Farkle's better than either and both of us . In some ways ,Farkle has been OUR parent in teaching us,"Jennifer recounted.
"Is there anything else that might surprise me?" Shawn asked.
"About ten years ago, I discovered during an audit of Stuart's bookkeeping that Daddy and Mother's fortunes as well as his own parents' funds had, for very different reasons, had completely evaporated but Stuart actually has been supporting all of them in the styles they'd become accustomed to ever since - without telling any of them . This ,despite none of them (besides Mother) having anything to do with me, Stuart or Farkle. Despite my pleas to cut them off or show them up, Stuart's refused and has continued supporting them all . I suppose he doesn't want Farkle to believe Stuart would have allowed any of his grandparents starve regardless of their complete disdain for us and ingratitude towards him, but I can't help but love him all over again for that," Jennifer swooned.
"Love? Hmm, Riley once said that Farkle said you throw your ring at Stuart on a regular basis," Shawn scoffed.
"At but never making contact. You see all those years of growing up bad has had to come out somehow so about once a week I have a little spell and throw the big ring towards his vicinity but not the very first one Stuart gave me that I keep next to my heart!" Jennifer exclaimed as she took a chain from under her blouse to reveal. .a Cracker Jack ring inside a transparent capsule.
"Catching up, you two?" Minkus laughed as he took Jennifer's hand and kissed it.
" I suppose so, "Shawn gulped.
" I was just telling Shawn about the ring tosses,"Jennifer laughed.
" Oh, that! Mí pasionaria throws it as close to my feet as possible but never makes contact. She's the ping-pong, dart and squash champion for our clubs and that's is a good way to practice. She could have easily hit me- had she wanted to. Although there was that one time her ring grazed the hairs of the upper knuckle of my right index toe," Minkus laughed as he took her hand and kissed it again.
"Stuart, I got distracted," Jennifer sighed.
" I know but then you kissed that toe so that more than made up for it!" Stuart laughed.
"Maybe I should get Katy to throw things at my feet so she can…" Shawn laughed as Katy came into view.
"Don't even go there, Gorgeous!" Katy scoffed as she sat down on the other side of Shawn while Shawn helped brace her.
" I'm very happy that we all married who we married . However, it's good to find out you have changed for the better so thanks for your candor, Jennifer," Shawn exclaimed.
"We have children we think the world of who are great friends so we all do need to work together,"Jennifer admitted.
"Yes, we need to fine tune the details of the April in Paris trip for the six of them - to say nothing of Mr. Feeny's 90th Birthday Party Friday, March 31st! " Katy insisted.
"Since it's on a Friday so I think we should see about having John Adams High spiffied up for that fete to be thrown," Minkus pondered as he sat on the other side of Jennifer.
" Actually, I have somewhere else in mind a little closer to here, we could use for that venue," Shawn insisted as he pointed due south in the direction of Manhattan.
" Now why would Mr. and Mrs. Feeny ,to say nothing of Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, want to jaunt AWAY from Philly for his birthday party?" Jennifer scoffed.
" Don't worry. We'd make it VERY much worth the extra miles!" Shawn insisted.
"What do you have in mind?" Katy asked.
"I'll tell you!" Shawn exclaimed as he huddled around Katy and the Minkuses.
. .
"There's a sight I never thought I'd see. Our four parents all getting along! " Maya exclaimed.
"Yes, your birthday has proven to be one for the record books!" Farkle laughed.
"From it being what I thought was going to be my worst birthday to one of my best with this celebration and our Paris trip to look forward to, to your superhuman transformation to our parents all laughing and having fun. There sure have been quite a few metamorphoses today, Farkle!" Maya laughed.
So the rest of the evening, the Hunters, Matthewses, Babideauxes, Minkuses, Friars and Smacles as well as Eric, T.J(Tommy), Agent LaChance, Jack &Morgan- and even Joshua drove up to help Maya celebrate (under Shawn and Katy's watchful eyes) along with all the staff and residents of Dandelion Fields they had a great home cooked Southern meal that Lydia had helped prepare of barbecue, fried crabs, chicken salad, hush puppies, corn-on-the-cob, pimento cheese salad, tossed spinach salad with peach cobbler for dessert washed down with freshly made lemonade then dancing to wide variety of music as they celebrated Maya's 16th Birthday that Wednesday before Minkus flew all the Manhattan celebrators via his helicopter back in plenty of time to do homework/ get sleep for Thursday's upcoming school/workday.