April Showers in Paris May Not Bring Flowers (Chapter Nineteen)
Friday, April 7, 2017- Hunters' [Expanded] Apartment (Manhattan)
"Look at you, Child! All fixin' to paint Paris red by tomorrow morning!" Lydia exclaimed as Maya opened the front door.
"Thanks for watching the twins while Mom and Daddy take me to Topanga's," Maya replied as she hugged Lydia.
"Mom, Daddy! Nana's here! We need to go!" Maya shouted as she banged the top of her travel bag.
"Shh! Child, inside voice or else those two little chatterboxes will wake up the dead!" Lydia pleaded in a whisper.
"Sorry, I forgot," whispered Maya.
"Great you could make it, Mama!"Katy proclaimed in a whisper (she was back to wearing one of her first trimester maternity dresses and ballet flats).
"Happy to spare a few hours keeping watch here while Helma's keeping watch at the Farm. Isn't Shawn ready?" Lydia asked.
"Mom, could you get . .." Maya whispered.
"I'll get.. ." Katy sighed as she walked towards their bedroom.
.
.
"Shawn, Maya's about ready for us to take her to Topanga's! " Katy whispered as she opened the door to their bedroom and found Shawn in his t-shirt and sweat pants laying on top of their bed cradling their diapered twins in his arms.
"Shh! They're asleep," Shawn pleaded in a whisper.
" I know. Why aren't you dressed yet? It's almost 5 o'clock and it's still easier for you to put clothes on than it is for me these days," Katy fumed in a whisper.
" Babe, have you ever wondered if their fingers and toes looked like ours when we were that age?" Shawn pondered in a whisper.
"Shawn, you had to have counted all forty of their digits a zillion times and you can do so again when we. .." Katy pleaded in a whisper.
"True but I can't help but wonder how many few times our own mothers each got to count our fingers and toes before mine was torn away when I was minutes old and before yours died when you were a month old. Also I'm not sure Dad ever bothered to count mine or your late father ever saw you much less counted your digits," Shawn sighed.
" That may be but. ." Katy replied.
" I wonder if George or Amy have any idea how privileged they are to have both of us here with them and not going anywhere?" Shawn asked.
" You're right, Gorgeous, but Mama's here to watch the babies so you need to get dressed so we can take Maya down to Topanga's so she can join everyone on the subway to JFK," Katy insisted in a whisper.
"OK, I'll put on my shoes here then my overcoat when we take Maya," Shawn sniffed.
"Shawn, you're crying!" Katy whispered.
"Am not . .what if I am? Apart from school, this will be the first time Maya's been away from us since George and Amy's birth," Shawn sniffed as he slipped on his dock siders while cradling his newborns on his arms then started walking.
"She's not going away forever- just to Paris for a week!" Katy replied.
"But we just got our family together. Glad you're here, Mama" Shawn sniffed as they all walked to the living room/kitchen area.
"Oh, My Little Loves! Nana's here for you!" Lydia exclaimed in a whisper as Shawn kissed her then handed them to her to embrace.
"Mom, Daddy. We need to get to Topanga's so I can get to Paris," Maya sniffed.
"OK, got to get into straightlaced father mode! OK, Maya, where is your new Passport?" Shawn asked in a whisper
" In my jacket's inside locked pocket," Maya sighed.
"And your roundtrip tickets to Paris?" Shawn asked in a whisper.
"The same but why couldn't I just put the tickets on the Smartphone instead of worrying about paper copies?" Maya groaned in a whisper.
"Because if someone stole your Smartphone with that info, THEY could possibly fly to Paris on your ticket. This is one time we're keeping 20th Century options open," Shawn explained in a whisper
"And what do you do the minute you get to JFK, as well as the minute your plane takes off , the minute you land in Paris, the minute you get through French Customs, and the minute you set foot in the Crenshaws' townhouse?" Katy asked in a whisper.
"Phone you guys letting me know I made it. Come on, I'm not a baby," Maya protested in a whisper.
"You'll always be OUR Baby Girl until we're no longer in this world, we're responsible for you and we need peace of mind that you're okay. Oh, and don't forget to call us once a day when you're there and every step of the way back until you're safe home again!" Katy insisted as she hugged Maya.
"And what are the code words for Paris?" Shawn asked.
"Brie if we're safe, baguette if we're not," Maya groaned.
"Now, here's your credit card with $1000 US prepaid on it! Spend it on meals, transportation and souvenirs but not on junk (and don't forget we'll get the statement next month so we'll know what you spent it on). ONLY spend over the $1000 if it's a dire emergency and be sure to have enough left your last night to treat the Crenshaws to one farewell meal to thank them for taking care of you -even if they try to pay for it themselves!" Shawn insisted as he quietly handed Maya the card.
"You can roll your eyes until they can be used to knock down 10 bowling pins but we're doing all this because we love you and want to keep you safe as possible- and one day . ." Katy started to say.
"When you have a child, you'll understand!" Katy and Maya said together.
"You think these two cute noisemakers will remember me when I get back?" Maya laughed as she picked up and hugged her baby siblings who were awake again soon after Lydia had put them in their carriers on the coffee table.
"We'll remember you! It's time for us to go!" Shawn insisted as he put on his overcoat and put his wallet into his sweatpants pocket.
"I wonder if all the others are having this kind of conversation with their parents?" Maya reflected as she put on her own overcoat and Shawn took her travel bag as while Katy came with them they took the elevator down to the street level to start their walk to Topanga'.
. .At Topanga's. ..
"Now, Farkle! Be sure not to step in any puddles and get your feet soaked," Jennifer Bassett Minkus insisted as she straightened out his collar.
"Mother, I'll be fine!" Farkle groaned.
"Mi Pasionaria he's now the strongest boy in the known galaxy who can twist steel girders like taffy that no others can so much as lift and is completely immune to all viruses, cancers and diseases," Minkus laughed.
"Fine but I'm still the strongest boy's mother!" Jennifer sniffed.
"And I'll do my best to protect everyone from harm," Farkle insisted.
"Oh, but I hate to think of you riding the subway and then flying coach instead of jaunting there via one of our luxury private planes and we have an entire chateau in Paris you could stay in. Why do you need to stay with these . .others packed in like sardines?" Jennifer sniffed.
"They're my friends who've never seen Paris before and Isadora & I don't want to miss a minute with them,"Farkle shrugged.
"Our boy likes being with his friends where they are and isn't it great he HAS friends unlike us when we were his age?" Minkus insisted while Farkle nodded.
"I suppose so. Farkle, do you have anything else you want to tell us before Mrs. Friar and the others arrive?" Jennifer asked as she took out an alcohol wipe from her clutch bag and wiped Farkle's perfectly clean face.
"I want to thank you and Father for letting me go this trip and for providing for the luxury meals, tuxes and evening gowns for Mr. Feeny's 90th Birthday Party. I'm so PROUD that you two wanted to treat him and all his other guests like royalty at your own expense, " Farkle proclaimed.
"Well, Mother and I believed that Mr. Feeny and his guests deserved nothing but the best and, as you say, it's a good feeling to provide for others," Minkus said a bit unevenly.
"And not to mention, that it's fun to sometimes dress up and we wanted the guests as well as the Feeny Foundation's residents to be able to enjoy that! " Jennifer laughed- also a bit unevenly.
"Even though I have the feeling that it may not have been entirely altruistic on your parts, I thank you for doing that, Mother and Father," Farkle proclaimed.
"Your most welcome, Son!" Jennifer proclaimed.
"Oh, here comes Lucas and Mrs. Friar. I must catch up with them about the itinerary ! I'll be back in a minute, Mother and Father," Farkle insisted.
"So, do we tell Farkle that the losses incurred by our generosity towards the fete and children actually became GAINS via the tax write offs?" Jennifer asked in a low voice.
"Not just yet. I'll tell him when he's old enough to understand- in another few centuries . In the meantime, we have his admiration, you'll have your own yacht and this will help fund my own private interplanetary transport shuttle. Richard Branson can eat his heart out with his Space Tourist atmosphere bunny hopper!" Minkus laughed.
"Oh, I love it when you show me you have some hidden badness, My Solomon-Brained Herculean Adonis," Jennifer laughed.
"How much do you love it, Mi pasionaria?" Minkus laughed.
"Let me count the ways. .." Jennifer laughed then whispered in his ear.
"Um, Farkle. You have our numbers so give everyone our best and we love you!" Minkus laughed as he and Jennifer each kissed the top of their son's head then took each other's hand and ran out of Topanga's.
"Love you,too. Mother and Father!" Farkle laughed at his parents' hasty exit.
" We just passed by the Minkuses. Ah, to be young and able to run like that!" Katy laughed as she, Shawn and Maya entered Topanga's.
"You just bore our twins a week ago! Don't expect to be another FloJo in an instant, Babe!" Shawn shrugged as he kissed Katy on the lips.
"I hope the Matthewses are cooler with Riley leaving than Mother was with. .." Farkle reflected.
"Oh, that's just a mother thing," Katy shrugged.
"You sure about that, Babe?" Shawn asked.
"Goodbye, Daddy's Precious Only Baby Girl! " Cory blubbered as he and Topanga came downstairs with Riley.
" You will remember to take out your contacts every single night before bedtime and put them in the solution. Right, Riley?" Topanga blubbered as she and Cory hugged onto Riley for dear life.
"Mom, Dad, I'll be back in just over a week and Mrs. Friar and the Crenshaws will watch out for me as well as all my friends," Riley sighed.
"Yes, but they didn't raise you from a baby like WE have. Are you SURE you want to go and are you SURE you'll be okay?" Cory blubbered.
"Mom, Dad, we'll be fine. Thank you for this trip!" Riley insisted as she hugged her parents.
"Son, when you find that Folies Bergere, you send us a Smartphone photo so we can see where my great-grandfather Antoine Babineaux played the trumpet for Josephine Baker back in '27!" Louis Babineaux insisted.
"Yes, Papa, I won't forget! " Zay sighed.
"Louis,your great-grandfather collaborated with Josephine Baker?" Shawn asked.
"Folks underestimate our history but he'd spoken French in New Orleans growing up and helped Miss Baker and other African-American performers with the language in Paris. If the NAZIs hadn't invaded in '40, our branch might have been French!" Louis Babineaux sniffed.
"That's quite interesting, Louis!" Katy exclaimed.
"Isn't it something?" Louis Babineaux shrugged.
"Louis, if your great-grandfather had stayed there, he'd have never come back to New Orleans, met your great-grandmother Frannie and you wouldn't have been born much less eventually come to Austin and met me to have Zay," Cecile DuBois Babineaux laughed.
"You're right but it's still cool to think that our family could have gone full circle having some French blood joining the African blood in N'awlins and then an African-American branch becoming French in Paris all over again! So, how is that Harley Keiner dude related to you again?" Louis asked.
"It's a long story starting in Boston but we need to make sure our son's going to be okay in Paris. Zay, be sure to go to the Rue Des Barres near Notre Dame, "Cecile insisted.
"What's there, Mama?" Zay asked.
"That's where MY grandfather Herbert DuBois and his brother Calvin met again by chance as U.S. Transport Troops in different units when helping to Liberate Paris back in '44! " Cecile laughed.
"Sounds like you Babineaus and DuBoises have known Paris better than the rest of us," Lucas laughed.
"Not quite, Son. Don't forget that that's where I first met and married your father Caleb when we were on the way to Ethiopia to build wells for the Peace Corps, "Rachel recalled.
"You mean, I would have been born in Paris had you two stayed with that?" Lucas asked.
"More likely Ethiopia but both sets of your grandparents raised too much of a fuss when they found out you were on the way for us not to have you in Austin," Rachel laughed.
"We need to be getting to the subway station in the next ten minutes if we want to be at JFK two hours before takeoff," Maya pleaded.
"Where's Isadora?" Farkle asked.
"Sorry, we almost couldn't find my Passport until the last possible second," Isadora sighed as she and her parents ran into Topanga's out of breath.
" I guess that's everyone so we need to. . ." Rachel started to say as she, Lucas, Farkle,Zay, and Riley started to pick up their individual travel bags.
"Wait! Uncle Cory, are you sure Joshua isn't coming by?" Maya gulped.
"I'm afraid not! He's got a tae kwon do tournament out of town that he said he couldn't miss," Cory sighed.
"Now, you and Joshua have very separate lives so don't let this spoil your fun in Paris, Baby Girl," Katy insisted.
"Yeah, besides between the Louvre, Notre Dame,Eiffel Tower and zillions of unique views and songs in the street, you'll be too busy being inspired to paint and compose to think of him," Shawn added while Katy, Maya,Topanga and Riley all gave him a side eye.
"Come on, let's all hug our kids one last time before they start their ventures! We're SO proud of you!" Topanga exclaimed while all the teens hugged their parents still there they were about to depart from.
"Thanks for doing this for us, Rachel! You take care of Maya and the rest of these guys!"Katy sniffed.
"Katy, you know I will!" Rachel insisted as she grabbed her travel bag.
Then the six teens and Rachel exited.
"Congratulations, Cory. You managed to hold it together and show some dignity," Topanga proclaimed while she hugged Cory.
"Not so fast. Mama sent these with her compliments," Shawn exclaimed as he quickly passed out seven sets of white cotton handkerchiefs while keeping one for himself.
" I don't think we. .." Topanga gulped.
"In three. ..two .. One. .!"Shawn sighed- at that point ALL eight parents in Topanga's (himself included) started to blubber simultaneously into said handkerchiefs.
After a few minutes blubbering…
"Say, Cory. Where exactly is Baby Matthews's tae kwon do tourney anyway?" Shawn asked after taking a deep breath.
"Oh, in Orleans ,"Cory shrugged.
"Isn't that in France?" Shawn asked.
"No, it's in upstate New York not too far from St. Upidtown. Eric campaigned there," Cory explained.
"OK, why do I have the feeling things aren't quite what you think?" Shawn asked.
" What do you mean?" Cory asked.
"Never mind," Shawn sighed.
" Orleans, New York and Paris, France are nowhere near each other. You've got nothing to worry about," Cory insisted.
"Fine, call me silly but keep in mind that you've got Lucas Friar on the same flights, house and overseas city as Riley the WHOLE week- even with his mother Rachel and the Crenshaws doing all they can to chaperone," Shawn sighed.
"But, but. .." Cory gulped.
"In three, two, one. ." Shawn groaned -before Cory blubbered all over again into his handkerchief.
"Hey, what's with the waterworks?" Jack asked- as he and Morgan walked in.
"You just missed Maya, Riley and the others leaving for JFK to fly to Paris. I hope you weren't trying to avoid Rachel," Katy noted.
"No. One of the metal saws' blades got cracked and we had to find a replacement to finish the job so we left late. Sorry we missed everyone," Morgan explained.
"Well, everyone's excited about Paris," Topanga enthused.
" Shawn, one of our masons had a family emergency in the middle of setting the brick kitchen wall. Could you come by and finish it for us so we can wrap that up by tonight?"Morgan asked.
"But the twins are at home and. ." Shawn sputtered.
"Mama's with them and I need to go over a few bookkeeping items in person with Topanga so you can go on!" Katy insisted.
"Yeah, we actually thought you did fairly good reno work for the Feeny Foundation," Jack added.
"Well, it will give me something different to tell George and Amy about besides putting together other folks words and pictures for their webpages," Shawn conceded.
"Go on! We'll all be fine, Shawnny!" Cory insisted.
. ..
. .
Charles De Gaulle Airport Paris, France- 8AM local time (6 hours ahead of Manhattan) the next day on the plane docked at the terminal.
"Oui, Mademoiselle?" a French flight attendant with the nametag of Chantal asked Riley and Maya at their seats.
"Can the pilot turn my A/V stream BACK ON? I was almost ready to win at Candy Crush," Riley whined while at the window seat- having pressed the call button.
"Merci, Chantal," Maya insisted as she waved off the flight attendant .
"Riles, you've played Candy Crush zillions of times before and you can play it again when we get home but here we are in PARIS! Don't ignore this unique, cool place JUST to play video games and surf on your Smartphone," Maya fumed.
"But I almost won that round!" Riley groaned.
"Yes, kids! We need to put away all Smartphones,laptops and other electronic devises until we get through Customs," Rachel insisted.
"Yes, Mama," Lucas sighed.
"And why are you wearing a cowboy hat to Paris anyway?" Maya sniffed.
"Farkle and Zay are both wearing berets!"Riley added.
" I wanted there be to be a little bit of Texas in Paris,France as there is a bit of French in Paris, Texas with its Eiffel Tower replica," Lucas explained.
"Well, take it off so you don't get held up by Customs," Maya fumed.
"Could you hold off the nagging until after Customs? Everyone else behind us has gotten their carry-on luggage and waiting to exit the plane," Isadora pleaded.
. .
. ..Paris, Champs Elysee sidewalk. One hour later. .
"That's your townhouse? Woah! That's amazing, General!" Farkle gasped at the five story tall townhouse on the Champs Elysee as they exited the van that dropped the group off from the airport.
"How can you afford it?" Isadora asked.
"Isadora," gasped Rachel.
"This is used by those who have my rank with NATO command during our tours of duty here, "General Jared Crenshaw explained as they entered the front door.
"We have it for the next three years until Jared's assignment's over but this should be a good start for the baby. Don't you think so, Rachel?" Angela asked.
"Yeah, this is bigger than ANY home I've lived in," Rachel gulped.
"OK, the boys will sleep in one room on the 2nd floor while the girls sleep in another room on the 4th and Mrs. Crenshaw and I as well as Mrs. Friar will be in our own rooms on the 3rd so don't try anything!" General Crenshaw insisted.
"Once we get you settled in your rooms, you kids can nap for a few hours to recover from your transatlantic flight," Angela insisted.
" No way, Mrs. Crenshaw! I'm not missing a minute of daylight in Paris!" Maya insisted.
"Are you sure, Maya?" Rachel asked.
"Yep! I'm too excited to sleep!" Maya exclaimed.
"Same here!" Riley added while the other teens all nodded.
"I wish I could join the rest of you but, this whole afternoon, I have conference meeting at HQ," General Crenshaw sighed.
"We'll miss you but thanks for helping to pick them up, My Conquering Hero!" Angela beamed as she kissed him.
"Well, looks like you've got this, Sweetheart!" General Crenshaw said with a bit of bashfulness.
"A soldier's daughter knows what she's getting into when she becomes a soldier's wife," Angela laughed.
"I'll show everyone your rooms so you can drop off your luggage .Each floor has its own bathroom so you'll have to take turns to freshen up," General Crenshaw explained.
"Take turns?," Riley scoffed.
"In Paris, we're lucky to be in a house with more than one bathroom!" Rachel laughed.
"Where to first?" Angela asked- after they dropped off their luggage.
"Well, it's a clear day and it would be most logical we get to see all of Paris from atop its most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower!" Farkle insisted.
"Great idea! "Zay and Maya cheered while the others weren't so sure.
"The Metro stop is at the end of the block and we'll be at the Tower in no time!" Angela exclaimed.
. .
"It took two hours of waiting in line but we're finally on the way to the top!" Riley beamed while they were riding one the Eiffel Tower's elevators.
"Why should there be so many other people? It's April!" Maya fumed.
"It's also Saturday , not raining so every tourist has the same idea!" Isadora shrugged.
"Well, here we are at the very top so we need to walk up the stairs to the top Observation Deck," Angela insisted as the elevator door opened and the group got out with many other tourists.
"Lucas, please carry your hat here. Need I remind you what happened with your father," Rachel tried to insist while gesturing him to pull it off.
"Aw, Mama. I'm trying to show who I am here! It's staying on!" Lucas insisted as they all walked up to the top deck.
"It's so beautiful seeing the river, gardens, palaces, churches, boulevards and whole city laid out below us!" Riley enthused as they looked through the grate.
"The Tuilleries Garden! That's where we need to go next!" Maya insisted as she pointed to it.
"My HAT!" Lucas screamed as he poked his head through the protective iron grate when a very strong breeze blew his hat off his head .
"LUCAS, NO!" Zay yelled and held onto his bestie as Lucas tried to pry his way through the grate chase after it..
"Lucas, don't shove the tourists ahead of us in line for the down elevator!" Farkle pleaded as Lucas had run ahead of the rest of them.
"But if I get down ASAP, there's a chance the hat will still be close by. Farkle, why don't you jump off then chase after it?"Lucas begged.
"Are you. ..?!" Angela gasped.
"I won't do any such thing!"Farkle protested.
"I should hope not!" Rachel insisted.
"I could kill a pedestrian by landing on them from this height!" Farkle insisted.
"My hat!" sniffed Lucas.
"Lucas, I TOLD you to carry it," Rachel groaned.
"Yes, Mama," Lucas sighed.
"Farkle and Zay's berets stayed on. You think the Eiffel Tower may have flushed out the cowboy hat?" Maya asked.
"Cheer up! There's still lots more to see and do in Paris," Riley insisted.
"We can see the Sorbonne where Pierre and Marie Curie discovered each other then discovered radium!" Isadora beamed.
"There's a juggling street festival!" Zay added.
"Tomorrow, we can go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa!" Angela added.
"The Mona Lisa? We've seen that painting in so many books, tv shows and the 'Net," Lucas scoffed.
"Yes, but some say that if one has found one's true love, the Mona Lisa will smile on them!" Rachel insisted.
"Really? Oh, yeah!" Angela laughed.
"You think this could cause us guys trouble?" Zay scoffed.
"Only one way to find out," Rachel laughed as they soon were back onboard the elevator going to back to the ground from the Eiffel Tower.
. .
"Here we are at the Tuilleries Gardens! They're spectacular! I can't wait to sketch the trees, statues,fountains and flowers!" Maya insisted.
"But we're about to go inside the Orangerie to see those water lily paintings, "Angela insisted.
"Mrs. Crenshaw, could you and the others go get the tickets then come back for me?" Maya pleaded.
"Why don't you take a few shots around here with your Smartphone then sketch those later?" Farkle asked.
"No shot could capture the moments I want to immortalize here and now. Please, Mrs. Crenshaw, Mrs. Friar?" Maya pleaded.
"OK, we'll leave you for a few minutes but remember, you've got our numbers and don't hesitate to call 18 for the gendarmes!"Angela sighed.
"Are you sure it's okay to leave Maya on her own like that on the bench?" Rachel asked.
" Did you see that light in her eyes seeing those trees, flowers, fountains and benches? It reminded me of Shawn when HE got inspired to photograph," Angela laughed.
"Angela, you know that Maya's his by adoption and not biology," Rachel sighed.
"Yeah, but they have that same artistic angst regardless which we can't stifle- especially not here in the City of Love!" Angela laughed while all the others joined them to get tickets.
Despite Maya's excitement (and not a few café au laits), the jet lag almost immediately caused Maya to dose off.
"Alouette gentille alouette/alloute je te plumerai ," Maya heard a baritone voice sing.
"Hunh? Who are. ." Maya snorted to herself then woke up then saw no one around her but a single red rose laid atop the sketch pad on her lap about an inch away from her right hand where Maya was holding the sketch pencil.
"Who are you? Where'd you go?" Maya gulped as she looked around but so no one but other Parisians walking around as her group returned.
"Maya, we got the tickets!" Riley exclaimed.
"That's great! But look what I got!" Maya exclaimed as she held the red rose in her right hand.
"It's beautiful!" Isadora exclaimed.
"Did you buy it from a vendor?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, here in Europe, they scam you by pretending to give it to you then insisting that you pay for it! You need to do a strong 'Merci, non!' then give it back!" Angela sighed.
"No, it wasn't like that. I heard a guy sing a song and then when I awoke, I saw the flower on my sketchpad," Maya explained.
"Who knows what someone could have tried with you being asleep. You need to be more careful!" Lucas insisted.
"The New York Maya would have probably taken out an eye from someone sneaking a flower while I was sleeping but somehow. ..I think this could be something different maybe.. .romantic," Maya gulped.
"Wait, why isn't this happening to ME?" Riley asked.
"Riley, Maya! You need to get a grip!" Farkle scoffed.
"Oh, come on, Hunk Dearest, if it WERE something romantic, wouldn't it be quite the tale for Maya and her Parisian admirer to tell their grandchildren?" Isadora asked.
"As long as we have the tickets, let's get inside and admire the water lilies paintings then see what if anything needs to be done about Maya's possible secret admirer," Rachel insisted.
. ..
Back at the Hunter Apartment, Manhattan about the same time.
"I think next week, I'll start back at Topanga's part time," Katy insisted over breakfast .
"But you've been doing her books from here for the last month. Surely she can let you stay home a little bit longer," Shawn pleaded.
"I know you do what you can designing websites but you keep stopping every time one of the twins looks around or cries or giggles. I need to take them with me so you can concentrate on your work," Katy replied.
"Take them outside? But they'll catch cold and. .." Shawn gulped.
"They can't stay inside our apartment forever. They need fresh air and they need to be around people," Katy sighed.
"But did you see how George just now smiled back when I smiled at him? And did you see how Amy giggled when I made that face? " Shawn laughed.
"So you want to stay here forever to take care of them?" Katy asked.
" I'd like that but they need you,too- and not just for your dairy access," Shawn pleaded.
" But we can't become shut ins. By the way, how were Jack and Morgan? "Katy asked.
"They were getting along surprisingly well. Oh, and she offered me a job?" Shawn replied.
" A job? Doing what?" Katy asked.
"Oh, being on her renovation team. But we've got George and Amy and I don't want to not be around them or you!" Shawn pleaded.
"Did you turn it down?" Katy inquired.
"Not exactly. I told them I had to talk it over with you," Shawn sighed.
"So would you actually want to do this if it weren't for me, Maya and the twins?" Katy asked.
" I spent too many years going in circles doing that 'Hit the Road' website. I don't want to go back on the road. I don't ever want to be away from any of you again! That's why I went into freelance web design I could do from home," Shawn explained.
"Do you want to keep doing that the rest of your life?" Katy asked.
" It actually felt good getting my hands dirty doing something besides spilling a latte on the keyboard! And I liked turning what others had said was hopeless, ruined junk into something beautiful," Shawn reflected.
"How about working with Morgan and Jack?" Katy considered.
"Morgan's tough and expects hard work but she's fair. And, surprisingly, Jack and I didn't fight or get bored to tears with each other. I think we're actually starting to like each other for who we are," Shawn gasped.
" Do you think you'd be settling or taking the easy way to keep with the web design deal?" Katy reflected.
"I've got you four to support and I'm NOT going to put our family at risk for a pipedream," Shawn groaned.
"Is it entirely a pipedream? You have the skills and the opportunity to do this," Katy pleaded.
"And what about you? Do you want to keep being Topanga's manager while trying to pursue the right part?" Shawn asked.
" For now, we've got these twins to consider and they need the dairy only I can provide. Not that many jobs will let you take tiny babies to feed them for the ride," Katy pondered.
"But there's more than one way to make your dream come true. That play about Powhatan and Pocahontas, it truly spoke to me," Shawn pondered.
"Did it really? You're not just saying that, Are you,Gorgeous?" Katy gulped.
"No, and there's a lot more you can teach! Why don't you see about coaching and teaching others who want to perform while writing more plays?" Shawn asked.
"Did Morgan say the spot would be filled if you didn't take it straight away?" Katy asked.
"No, it seems that she rotates freelance folks to do those parts of their projects so I could go part time for a bit to see how it might work," Shawn pondered.
"So, why don't you try to see how you like it while keeping the web design freelance deal going? And maybe I could see about whether to become a substitute drama teacher while keeping the spot at Topanga's for now. That way, we could each see if these dreams would be worth pursuing without putting our family's livelihood in danger," "Katy pondered.
"You realize that there'd be sacrifices regardless. Like shoes being required for the job!" Shawn laughed.
"We could see if it worked, then if it doesn't go back to what we've been doing!" Katy insisted.
"That makes sense! Great to have each others' backs!" Shawn beamed as he hugged Katy..
"How about we surf to see how Joshua Matthews did at that upstate tae kwon do tourney?" Katy asked.
"Why would we want to do that?" Shawn shrugged.
" Gain some points to Maya for us," Katy laughed.
"Sure. ..There's no tourney in that town this week!" Shawn fumed.
"Are you sure? Cory said. .." Katy gulped.
"Let's put in 'Joshua Matthews' and 'tae kwon do match' and see what we get… "Shawn insisted.
. ..
In a Parisian sidewalk café about 5PM local time. .
"So we're going to that juggling street festival tomorrow then the Louvre?" Zay asked.
"Yeah, and after the Louvre we can go to the French National Auto Museum!" Angela pondered.
"Got to have something to keep the guys interested!" Rachel laughed.
" But everyone will be interested when they see my juggling skills tomorrow!" Farkle laughed.
"Promise you won't try to juggle three Citroen cars at once!" Maya pleaded.
"Of course not. The streets would be too crowded to try that!" Farkle laughed.
"Here's our French onion soups and bread! " Riley exclaimed.
" I got a red rose with mine! Another one- with a note attached!" Maya gulped.
"What does it say?" Isadora asked.
"Just one word: Alouette! Like that song I heard being sung when I was napping!" Maya gulped.
"Ooh, you've got a French secret admirer! Won't Uncle Josh be jealous!" Riley laughed.
" No, because no one's going to tell him! This is getting weird. Mrs. Crenshaw,could you ask the waiter. ..?" Maya gulped.
"Say no more. . .." Angela insisted as she asked the waiter (in French) if he knew who sent Maya the red rose.
"What did he say?" Maya asked.
"He said that it was a young man in a black sweater, black pants and a black beret," Angela replied.
"That's practically the national uniform!" Lucas sighed.
"At least he's young," Isadora added.
..
. ..Later that night back at the Crenshaws' Champs Elysees townhouse. .
"They've all crashed and it's not even six o'clock!" Rachel laughed as she came into Crenshaws' parlor with lots of family portraits of both Jared's and Angela's families as well as his portraits from his West Point class,etc.,commendations on the wall -and in a display case, Japanese warrior dolls and models of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in a display case.
" Jet lag. You think I'll have that kind of luck with this one?" Angela asked as she tapped her abdomen.
"Have no idea," Rachel laughed.
"Who'd have thought when we roomed at Pennbrook that I'd be getting ready to raise my firstborn almost when you were finished raising yours!" Angela laughed.
" I know. Lucas has definitely had his moments and it wasn't easy having to raise him solo with Pappy Joe trying to pull rank after Caleb's passing but it's truly been worth it seeing him getting close to grow up to be someone Caleb would have been proud of," Rachel reflected.
"So you're now interning in elementary schools but next year you'll be qualified to be a full teacher?" Angela asked.
"Yeah, and in another few years, Lucas will be a veterinarian," Rachel replied.
"Have you ever thought about remarrying?" Angela pondered as she took a sip of apple juice.
" No! Never!" Rachel insisted.
"You sure?" Angela asked.
" Well, Caleb was the best man I could have found- even with his clay feet and I couldn't imagine being with another for so long but now I'm starting to think that maybe it would be good to do more than flirt with Eric," Rachel pondered.
"Have you told him that?" Angela asked.
"No! He has his life in D.C. and in the Senate and I'm a full time student teacher intern raising Lucas solo. I can't disrupt that," Rachel protested.
"You know Eric wouldn't think it was disrupting. You each had some very hard years apart," Angela gasped.
" I know! When Topanga called me seven years back about him going missing from that . .place. Oh, it broke my heart to think he'd been locked up and he thought he had no choice but to break out and not believe any of his family or any of US could be trusted to help him, "Rachel cried.
" I know. I was still a train wreck over having broken up with Shawn and all those dates Dad tried to fix me up with were no good. I was working at the PX in Brussels when Topanga notified me about Eric and invited me to that dinner for the Matthewses," Angela recalled.
"So that's why Mrs. Matthews got Brussels sprouts confused with broccoli for Riley's plate. She was sad you didn't make it back," Rachel gasped.
" I'm not proud that I just was afraid of chancing seeing Shawn again at that dinner," Angela sighed.
"And I declined because I was afraid that, since he'd been one of Cory's Groomsmen, they'd invite Jack and I wasn't ready to see him to chance dumping on me about Caleb nor Lucas beating him up for that- had I brought him along," Rachel sighed.
"So we, Eric and the Hunter Brothers were all train wrecks back then but now we're all so much BETTER! "Angela proclaimed.
"You think?" Rachel asked.
"Absolutely! I'm married to someone I adore with much of Dad's seriousness but Shawn's playfulness- and have a baby on the way. Shawn's married to someone he loves who's encouraged him to be the man we all knew he could become- Hareton Earnshaw reborn and they're raising Maya and their new twins! Eric's goofy but happy to use his new position to do so much good for children and others in need. And even Jack's gotten into a new venue helping renovate buildings and starting to see if he and the grown-up Morgan Matthews may become more than renovation partners," Angela insisted.
"So, are you saying I should put out my heart on the line for Eric?" Rachel asked.
"You've spent all those years having to be tough for Lucas. Better to risk rejection than to never allow yourself to love again," Angela insisted.
"Thanks, Angela! " Rachel exclaimed as she hugged her longtime friend.
"We have the spare space and those kids aren't too tough to keep in line," Angela laughed.
"Yes, for that, but I was also referring to helping me make a decision about Eric," Rachel exclaimed.
"Well, you and he deserve happiness after so much loneliness," Angela proclaimed.
" So do you think Farkle won't lift any more cars or buses to stun the locals the rest of the time we're here?" Rachel laughed.
"He was trying to take Lucas's mind off the missing cowboy hat. You know that!" Angela replied.
"Well, I have a little confession. Caleb losing HIS cowboy hat at the Eiffel Tower spurred me to start our whirlwind courtship so maybe Riley will decide she can love Lucas beyond a sibling type bond," Rachel pondered.
"You want them to get married?" Angela asked.
"Not right away but she's improved a great deal since October and, with their mutual love for critters, they could have eventually have a good bond," Rachel pondered.
"Now don't you be trying to hook up my future baby with one of Shawn and Katy's twins," Angela protested.
"No but wasn't it great that they got one of each ?" Rachel laughed.
. .
.
The next morning. .
"Come on, guys! Don't say sore!" Farkle begged.
"It was humiliating!"Isadora sniffed.
"But we won this morning's top prize," Farkle pleaded.
"YOU won this morning's top prize," Lucas fumed.
"But this was something we all were part of," Farkle pleaded.
"Yeah, yeah! But you could have warned us before you. ."Rachel fumed.
" Mrs. Friar, General Crenshaw, guys, it was a spur of the moment deal- and no one else was able to keep seven objects in the air for twenty minutes. Isn't that cool?" Farkle laughed.
"Yeah, but WE were 'the seven objects' and you didn't even ask any of us before you grabbed each of us by the shoulder and tossed us into the air like rag dolls," Maya fumed.
"Could we just go into the Louvre and get the Mona Lisa over with? I'd like to forget that whole thing," Zay fumed.
"If that thing gets YouTubed, I don't know how I'll explain it to my troops or general staff," General Crenshaw boiled.
"You looked quite handsome being tossed 100 feet into the air in a circle," Angela consoled.
"Lucky for you, Farkle didn't want to chance that stunt risking our baby!" General Crenshaw fumed.
"And I kept my promise to Maya not to toss cars," Farkle insisted.
"Well, here we are at the Louvre. It's time to see if what they say about the Mona Lisa smiling could be true," Riley insisted as the walked to the ticket counter.
. ..
"It took some time to get through the crowd but here we are and I DO see Mona Lisa smiling. Aren't you going to try it, Maya?" Riley asked.
"I would but I'm not sure my true love would be Joshua or. ..the singing French rose man!" Maya gulped.
"You actually think you could be in love with someone you haven't even met yet?" Isadora asked.
"Well, I've gotta give him points for originality," Maya pondered.
"Alouette gentille alouette/ Alouette je te plumerai!" sang a black sweatered, black slacked, black espadrille clad young man - with a black cape over his head.
"Enough's enough! Let's get him Zay, and Farkle!" Lucas fumed as the three ran towards the young man who stood rooted in one spot.
"It's me, Josh!" Josh exclaimed as he took off the black cape and put back on his black beret.
"Scooby Doo, where are you?" sighed Maya.
"But you're supposed to be at that tae kwon do tourney in Orleans, New York," Riley gasped.
"No, it was the one just sixty miles from here- in France!" Joshua laughed.
"So you're the one who's been singing and leaving me roses?" Maya asked.
"Yep! I thought it would be fun for both of us! Cory once talked about how he'd had this weird dream of being a black-clad Frenchman in World War II who had amnesia but he said he never felt cooler than in that dream. And it is kind of cool!" Joshua laughed.
"But why didn't you tell me you were planning to be . ." Maya asked.
"Because with the tourney, I've been going back and forth from here to Orleans between rounds and we couldn't spend much time together but I wanted to make the times we could be together something cool and special," Josh explained.
"So how did you know Maya was going to be in the Tuilleries Garden yesterday, then the café and now at the Louvre unless you were stalking and following her around?" Angela asked.
"I wasn't and I couldn't have since I had those tourneys 60 miles away. And I didn't need to since Riley's been posting ALL your activities on her Facebook page," Josh shrugged.
"RILEY!" the entire group shouted at her.
"Well, I thought telling our plans would get me Friended more frequently on this trip," Riley explained.
"Maya, the more I know you, the more I think you're incredible and I know we've got a few years between us but I want you to consider going with me when you turn eighteen. If you don't want to, I'll be cool and leave you alone forever but I'd like you to do so," Joshua pleaded.
"So you love me? ." Maya gulped.
"Yeah, I know I do. How about you?" Joshua asked.
"Well. .." Maya gulped.
"Well, before you do anything else, we're calling the Hunters right now!" General Crenshaw insisted.
"But General Crenshaw, it's five a.m. in Manhattan right now. Can't you wait a few more hours?" Maya asked.
"Oh, I think I'd appreciate it if my future daughter's chaperones told me a would be boyfriend had snuck overseas to see her on her trip at ANY hour of the day," General Crenshaw insisted.
"Isn't he going to be the best father?" Angela laughed.
"You've got that right," Rachel added.
"Shawn, are you awake?" General Crenshaw asked via the Smartphone.
"As a matter of fact, I AM! I just spent the last two hours getting my twins changed, fed and settled down before they FINALLY went to sleep but now your phone call. ." Shawn (back in Manhattan via the Smartphone).
"Sorry to disturb you and your babies but. .." Angela added as she peered over General Crenshaw's shoulder.
" You didn't, Jared. I was about to call you all. It turns out that Cory's baby brother Joshua is in France instead of Upstate New York for a tae kwon do tourney so you guys and Rachel better make sure that he doesn't try. .." Shawn fumed (via Smartphone).
"Don't you have something to say. ..?" General Crenshaw fumed as he handed the Smartphone to Joshua (who Farkle and Lucas had carried over).
"Hello, Shawn. .I. .." Joshua gulped.
"OK, as tempting as it would be to get Mr. Minkus to fly me over to France in the next few hours to punch your lights out, I've got to stay here for my twins and Katy. Oh, and since you want to court Maya, until I say otherwise, call me and Katy 'Mr. and Mrs. Hunter'", Shawn insisted(via Smartphone).
"But you're my bro Cory's bestie!" Joshua pleaded.
"While you're thinking of courting my daughter, you'll remember that we're a generation apart and treat me with that respect ," Shawn insisted(via Smartphone).
"Yes, sir. Yes, Mr. Hunter," Joshua groaned.
"Daddy, are you going to forbid…?" Maya asked.
"No, I can't do that. But I AM going to insist that he treat you with respect AND that you respect yourself this whole time. Oh, and as long as you're in Europe, you're to only see Joshua at the Crenshaws and Mrs. Friar's okay with one or all of them present the whole time! " Shawn insisted( via Smartphone)
"But. .." Maya gulped.
"Or would you rather have things go nuclear for you two with me, your mother and Mr. and Mrs. Matthews getting together to find ways to KEEP you and Joshua apart once all of you are back home?" Shawn asked (via Smartphone).
"No, Daddy. Even seeing Joshua surrounded by everyone else is better than not seeing him at all," Maya groaned.
"Good. Remember that me and Mr. Alan Matthews both started out as teen rebels who did all we could to try to beat the systems so, between us, we know more tricks than either of you could imagine!" Shawn insisted (via Smartphone).
"Yes, Daddy," Maya groaned.
"Now, remember that me, your Mom, George and Amy all LOVE you and if Joshua plays his cards right, we can learn to love him,too. Come on, George. Come on, Amy! Say Bye Bye to your Big Sis Maya!" "Shawn insisted as he turned the Smartphone to where they were in carriers and held one by one each of their right hands with his right hand while holding the Smartphone with his left.
"Bye! Bye! Daddy. Bye! Bye! George! Bye! Bye! Amy!" Maya proclaimed via General Crenshaw's Smartphone.
"Oh, my next round is in another four hours! Would all of you like to cheer me on in Orleans?" Joshua asked.
"That would be cool!" Maya exclaimed.
"It would beat another museum," Zay sighed.
"Well, as long as we're here. Let's find out about whether the Mona Lisa smiles on each of us," Riley exclaimed.
. ..
"She smiled on all of you but not for me. Maybe I'll have to seek out love when I get back to Manhattan, "Zay exclaimed as they exited the Louvre about an hour later (Joshua having left to make his way back to Orleans).
"I'm amazed . . She smiled on me after all these years but being with Caleb was a past. . " Rachel sighed.
"You sure?" Angela laughed.
Suddenly three men dressed in Egyptian costumes zoomed into the Central Courtyard via Segways disguised as chariots in front of the Louvre's Glass Pyramid.
"Bring me my Chariot of Fire!" Eric (in Ancient Egyptian attire with a helmet cape, bracelets, apron and sandals) exclaimed.
"Eric? What are YOU doing here?" Rachel gulped.
"That's a very good question, Mrs. Friar," Agent La Chance groaned.(also in Ancient Egytian attire on Eric's right).
"It wasn't our idea," T.J. (in Egyptian attire on Eric's left) added.
" Well, I'm here for a Senatorial fact finding mission here in Paris- and since Riley's Facebook page said you all were at the Louvre and in the middle of the Louvre is a pyramid so why not be Egyptian?" Eric laughed.
" We're lucky we didn't crash these Segway chariots!It's like looking through ice cubes without my glasses," T.J. groaned.
"I told you, glasses weren't authentic to Ancient Egypt," Eric laughed.
"Nor are Segways, Senator Matthews," Agent La Chance fumed.
"Eric, why didn't you just phone us you were in Paris and we could have caught up that way?" Rachel laughed.
"And miss a chance to go for a Segway chariot ride around a pyramid? " Eric laughed.
"Lucas, are you sure . ..?" Maya started to ask when at that moment, another rogue breeze blew a cowboy hat onto Lucas's head.
"It's filthy and nasty!" Riley exclaimed.
"Wait! That hat's familiar!" Rachel gulped.
Lucas looked inside the rim.
"' C. L. Friar- Austin,TX,' It's DADDY's old hat!" Lucas gulped.
"You sure about that?" Angela gulped.
"Yeah, here's a picture of the two of us just before we went up the Eiffel Tower back then," Rachel insisted as she scrolled her Smartphone for that picture of herself and the late Caleb Friar wearing that exact style and color of hat- albeit much cleaner.
"It IS his hat! Well, if Paris has returned Daddy's hat to my head, then go head and take my Mama out for a chariot ride, Senator Eric!" Lucas laughed while Riley hugged him- in a non-sibling way.
"Angela. . what do you think?" Rachel gulped.
"Look, me and Jared can guide the kids through Paris for the next few hours on our own- as long as you and Eric join all of us in Orleans for Joshua's tourney!" Angela laughed.
"OK, Eric how about taking me to the Obelisk in the Tuilleries, next?" Rachel laughed as she climbed on board Eric's chariot.
"How long do we have to stay in these costumes and on these Segway chariots, Mr. Murphy?" Agent LaChance asked.
"Just about two more hours by which time the batteries will run out and we'll need to return them. It's not easy keeping Eric out of trouble but it's worth the ride!" T.J. laughed.
"Yeah, it is!" Rachel laughed as Eric zoomed forward and the other followed him.
. .
For the rest of the trip, everyone would be taking in more tourist sights and exploring Paris's streets on their own . Seeing the catacombs was Zay's highlight while seeing the Sarbonne where Louis Pasteur as well as Pierre and Marie Curie studied was Farkle and Isadora's favorite spot. Maya did quite a few sketches while she was there mainly of Parisian venues and sites but her sketches of Joshua as a Parisian and flying in the air in his tae kwon do uniform in Orleans seemed her most energetic.
When they returned to Manhattan, Zay met General Crenshaw's young Japanese cousin Miko who had just enrolled at Abigail Adams High and the two of them started their own ties.
Riley and Lucas took things to a more heated level (albeit under their parents' watchful eye) while Maya and Joshua decided to get to know each other platonically as well as possible before her eighteenth birthday ( with Shawn, Katy, Alan and Amy's guarded blessing).Farkle and Isadora's bond only intensified- as did Eric and Rachel's. Oh, and Lucas got his late father's cowboy hat professionally cleaned by a dry cleaner then decided to wear it only for special occasions.
A-N-ONE MORE CHAPTER!