Chapter 12: The Reunion (Part 1)
The Peach Creek Junior High building sat empty for Spring Break. Even the custodians and workaholic teachers were gone at that point in time. As empty as it was, the school was at the same time filled with memories of joy, sadness and humiliation, mostly the last one. This is what Eddy and Lee thought as they entered the gymnasium with their son.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Lee asked her husband.
"It says to go to the gymnasium and wait." Eddy answered, reading off the back of the letter.
"Mom!" Skipper whined. " I'm bored!"
"And I'm hungry. We all got problems kid." Lee replied flatly.
"Hey look over there." Eddy pointed to the far end of the gym where a table full of food lay. There was doughnuts, sandwiches and even jawbreakers.
"Well that solves my problem." Lee chirped as they headed to the table.
"That's weird." Eddy muttered through a bite of sandwich. "Why would they need a whole food table for just three people?"
Eddy got his answer when the gym doors opened again and another family of three entered, a man, woman and little girl. Eddy recognized the man almost immediately for that hat was unmistakable.
"Double D?" He asked.
The man turned to look at Eddy and his face beamed. "Eddy!"
The two families rushed toward each other at once. Eddy and Eddward hugged each other.
"It's been too long Eddy!" Eddward gushed. "How have you been!?"
"Great!" How about you!?"
"It's been a long time Lee." Marie said.
"You've got that right."
"Mommy? Daddy? Who are these people?" The little girl asked.
"Eddward gasped. "Oh how rude of me! Eddy. Lee. I'd like you to meet Marion, our daughter."
"Hello!" Marion greeted warmly.
"Such a cute little niece." Lee cooed. "I'm your Aunt Lee and this is your uncle Eddy." Lee walked toward the snack table and came back pulling her son behind her.
"And this is your cousin Skipper." She introduced. "Skipper say hi!"
"Hi." Skipper said quickly, more concentrated on his jawbreaker than he was with other people
"You gave your son your own middle name?" Eddward questioned.
"Yeah. Like you can talk." Eddy retorted.
"You have a point." Eddward admitted.
Suddenly the door opened again and two more people entered the gym. Everyone recognized the man and woman at once.
"Ed!" Eddy and Eddward shouted.
"May!" Lee and Marie followed suit.
"Guys!?" Ed and May said in unison, their mouths curving into huge grins as they rushed toward their friends and family respectfully.
"My friends! How I've missed you!" Ed shouted as he ran toward his old friends.
"Ed no wait!" They shouted in unison as Ed scooped them both up in his arms hugged them tightly, nearly crushing them in the process.
"Oh how I've missed your near fatal affections Ed." Eddward voiced. "As strange as that may sound."
"You think that's strange? I'm getting nostalgia from his stench!" All three friends exploded into a giant fit of laughter
"Those guys are idiots." Lee mused.
"Yeah but they're our idiots." Marie cooed.
"They look so happy!" May beamed before turning her attention to the two children. "Guys aren't you going to introduce me to these cutie pies."
"The boy's mine." Lee answered. "His name's Skipper.
"And mine's name is Marion." Marie stated proudly."
"Hello." Both kids said in unison.
"Aww! Aren't you the cutest little lambchops!" May sang as she pinched their cheeks. "Aunt May is gonna give you so many presents for your birthday."
"Ah now don't go spoiling the boy." Lee warned. "He's spoiled enough as it is."
While the Kankers were talking, Skipper snuck away approached Ed.
"Are you...Monster Ed?" He asked.
"Yes sir!" Ed replied before letting out a guttural roar to prove it.
Skipper's eyes brightened. "Holy Crap! Monster Ed! I've seen all your movies! My favorite is Gatorsaurs Rex vs Spider Shark 2!"
"Aww!" May cooed. "It looks like my Big Ed has a new fan."
The doors opened again and two more people entered.
"Baby sister!" Ed shouted as he rushed to his sibling's side.
"Big brother!" She shouted with equal enthusiasm as she embraced Ed in a hug, her grip rivaling his own.
"I gotta say." Eddy voiced. "It's kinda creepy seeing Ed and Sarah get along like that."
"Oh come now Eddy!" Eddward replied. "All those bad things are in the past. We're grown-ups now."
"Heh. I guess we are."
All of a sudden, two giant boars pulling a wagon crashed through the doorway. Everyone managed to get out of the way in time as it made it's stop in the center of the gym.
"What the hell?" Eddy shouted.
"Greetings children of the Cul-De-Sac! A familiar voiced boomed as a foot kicked the door off the wagon. Despite his giant beard and scar across his right eye, everyone was able to immediately recognize the man.
"Rolf!?" They all said in unison.
"Salutations Ed-boys!" Rolf greeted. "How have your miserable lives been?"
"Uh. Okay I guess." Eddy answered. "What about..Hey hey hey! Who's the fox?"
Eddy was gesturing to the beautiful woman that followed Rolf out of the wagon.
"This is my wife, Maireike." Rolf answered proudly. Marieike said nothing but waved at everyone, blushing slightly. Rolf then turned to the wagon as if waiting for someone.
"Son of a gun! Has your respect flown south for the winter? Get out of there and introduce yourselves!"
At once, seven boys of various sizes jumped out of the wagon and face everyone. The largest boy stood right next to the wagon while the smallest stood the farthest away from it.
"Allow me to introduce my sons. Luis. Giotto. Adorjan. Baptiste. Adelmo. Lotte and Xander.
All the boys waved in response.
"Seven kids." Lee muttered. "That poor bastard."
"More like lucky bastard." May mumbled sadly.
"Rolf! It's very nice to see you again." Eddward greeted with his hand outstretched.
"Same to you Egghead Ed-boy." Rolf gripped Double D's hand and squeezed even harder than Ed or Sarah could.
"Yoww!" Eddward screamed, causing Eddy to break into laughter.
"Hey! Go easy on him Rolf!" A new voice cried out. "You'll rip his arm off."
"Everyone turned to see a blonde, forlorn and visibly pregnant woman standing by the giant hole Rolf's wagon created.
"Nazz!?"