Chapter 27
A WEEK LATER
A week later on a Saturday night, the girls of Nathalie's class had gotten to the mansion of Debby's parents, which was on the other side of the arrondissement. The kids were reunited in the dinning room, where the dinner table was covered with a large, white cover and all stood around the table along with the father of Debby.
"So as you see, I have rolled out the dough into a circle and there in front of you, you've got the ingredients you can add to it. I know we had planned to get those mini pizzas, but we forgot to buy them, and when we had time it was sold out. About the bowls, the white ones contain the ingredients for the so-called tarte flambée. Any other bowl contains the ingredients you could use for pizza," David stated making the children nod.
"Do we have to add all ingredients to it?" Asked Emily raising her hand up. "I'm allergic to artichokes,"
"Of course not, you don't have to. If you're allergic to anything of it, just leave it," David said making Emily nod, then he picked up a bottle filled with tomato sauce, then handed it out to Eireen, who stood beside him. "The sauce remains inside the bottle, if anyone needs help, I'm around,"
"Thank you, sir," Said the kids, then Emily tried to empty a little of the tomato sauce onto the dough, afterward the adult helped the girl by clapping at the end of the bottle to see it drop a bunch of sauce on it.
"Thank you!" Said Emily heading it at Eireen, which held it over her dought and Nathalie observed her friend adding the sauce onto it.
"Have you ever done pizza before?" Questioned Nathalie making Eireen shake her head.
"At the moment I have made apple pie, gratin dauphinoise, and bread. There was more, but I don't remember the names,"
"It's okay," Stated Nathalie. "I haven't done many things at home with my parents as well. Once in a while, I made with my dad pizza. When I was bored or my dad was alone in the kitchen cooking, I asked him to give him help. So he wouldn't be all alone or he just showed, what he did,"
"This is what my mom Juleka does sometimes," Eireen mentioned making Nathalie nod and grab the bottle to add the sauce onto her dough.
"Your uncle Luka, he does know how to make a pizza too. My mom said he worked together with your aunt Marinette at the bakery,"
"I think so," Responded Eireen. "I know he plays music instruments,"
"And also in a band with Elliot and Cody's dad," Added Nathalie giving the bottle away to Ruby, which handed it out to Emily.
"Yes," Responded Eireen, then watched Ruby beside her spreading over her dough soured cream with a soup spoon, she took from a bowl. "Ruby, do your parents play music too?" Questioned the Danish girl making the raven-haired girl nod.
"My mother plays guitar. My dad so far doesn't," Commented Ruby making Eireen nod, then Nathalie remembered something as she had pulled to her a bowl filled with cheeses slices.
"Ruby, how are your parents doing since the car accident?" Questioned Nathalie. "You haven't said anything about it anymore,"
"They're good. I think on Monday my father is going to bring the car home from the mechanic," Ruby said making Nathalie nod.
"What happened to the gift Super Nathan gave you?" Questioned Eireen. "You told you got one from him,"
"I have it on my bed. I let him on my bed every night, when I go to sleep," Ruby mentioned. "My mom also said thank you to Super Nathan, because he had saved my life once from getting injured by a car,"
"Oh my dad said she also wrote that on the internet," Nathalie commented making Ruby nod.
After dinner, the girls had gotten to the outside of the mansion to see Debby's mother had taken to the outside her smartphone along with a soundbox observing David had pulled out from the grilling fireplace all the garden chairs out, additionally added from the inside of the house two wooden chairs to form in the middle of the garden a circle.
"Okay kids, I think you should know this game, if someone doesn't I'll tell you the rules. The trip to Jerusalem you'll all walk around clockwise while the music is being played. When the music stops, you have to sit down and the person, who's not able to sit has lost. We will remove a chair as well and start the music again, so you continue to walk until it stops and sit down. And again the last one, who won't be able to sit will leave to and so on. The last one to be able to sit at the end of the game will be considered the winner," The woman said making the kids nod, which ran towards the chairs and David took a chair away, noticing he had added a chair too much for the game, then watched his wife place on the chair the music box and used her smartphone to play a song at a random place of the timeline.
The kids began to walk around the chairs listening to the indie-like song, then looked above the chairs at each other chuckling a little wondering how far the song would go with them. Deborah's mother had an idea, then hid the smartphone behind her back watching the kids move along. As soon as the song reached the refrain, the wife pressed the pause button to stop the song and the kids grabbed the first chair, that was in their sight. A dark-brunette girl missed to sit down on a chair, then the woman moved her hand gently at the girl.
"Belinda, you're the first one to leave," The woman said making the girl nod and walk towards the woman, which patted the girl on the shoulder. "Don't worry,"
The woman pressed the button to play the next song watching the kids begin to walk around, followed by David quickly pull out a chair from the circle to observe the kids move along to the RNB song of a former known quartet. The woman pressed the button after twelve seconds to see all kids swipe away a seat, then chuckled as Emily and a raven-haired girl met each other with their butts on the chair. Emily slid off the chair, making the woman chuckle and advise Emily to get up.
"That was a close one. I'm pretty sure you'll do it better in the next round," Commented the dark-blonde woman making the brunette nod and observed the kids begin to walk as the adult played a pop song. After a while, the song was stopped and the kids got into the seat beside Eireen.
"I'm out," Commented Eireen leaving earning a comforting smile from the veterinary, then both watched David remove the next chair and the mother looked down at the available girls, then showed her smartphone.
"What about any of you pick and pause the next song?" Questioned the woman making the girls nod, then the girl named Belinda took the smartphone to play a random song, which was from a former, Canadian teenage star.
"That's the song of the guy my daddy hates," Ruby commented making the girls chuckle.
"My daddy likes him," Commented the girl, that had picked the music.
"I don't know him, but I know it from the radio," Eireen commented making Debby nod. Emily frowned and pressed the pause button, shrieking Belinda at her deed.
"Hey, I was supposed to stop!" Complained the girl, then all heard the trio by the chairs laugh as Nathalie had fallen on the ground with Debby sitting on the chair.
"I'm sorry," Apologized Debby, then Nathalie got up with the help of the classmate, then walked out of the group.
"Okay Belinda, I will put a song and you will stop," Emily said making the child nod and watch Emily play a Spanish song, then all observed the duo walk around the seats.
"Hey it's that panda song," Commented Eireen pointing at the red panda icon, earning a nod from Belinda, which pressed the song cover to change to a 2000s song. David smiled at recognizing the song and vibed to it, making his wife chuckle along with a few girls.
"Your father is funny, Debby," Commented Belinda making Debby smile and Eireen pressed the pause button to stop the song and Ruby immediately grabbed the chair leaving Debby back distracted.
"I won!" Ruby announced making the kids applause along with Debby.
"Okay kids, what about the next round?" Questioned the veterinary watching the kids pull back the chair back to the middle of the ground again.
"Now you have to play along too," Ruby asked making the woman smile.
"Aww that's sweet, but somebody has to turn on and off the music," The vet commented, then David came along to the group to offer himself to the task.
"I'll do that, don't worry," David said, then placed an additional chair onto the circle so, the start wouldn't lose two members already. "Okay people, I'm going to pick anything from a time you weren't born yet, but I was. Well at your age mostly," Spoke David making the kids nod to watch the man search through the gallery to pick a song containing bongos on it, making the kids move along listening to the song.
"How old is this song?" Questioned Nathalie. "It sounds very cool,"
"It's from the 2000s as well according to the smartphone. Kids, you have to know living in that time was amazing," David commented. "We had some of the greatest music around that timeline,"
"Does our time have great musicians too?" Questioned Eireen, making the man shrug his shoulders.
"Some out there are good, just I have it hard to find ones that I really like. I think it's a nostalgic thing," David said pressing the pause button to see all kids stop to sit down and Debby was the first to leave, making the girls cackle.
"Woah I wasn't expecting this," Debby confessed making her way towards her father, which kissed her forehead.
"That's the fun part of those games," Spoke David putting on the next music, which was another pop song. The kids continued their game together until it was time for the dad to pause the song for observing, which was the next candidate to leave.
In the middle of the night, Lila stood inside the bathroom washing her hands, while the water of the toilet was being refilled notably by its noise. Lila used a hand towel to dry her hands, then left the bathroom crossing the corridor to enter the bedroom to see Nathaniel was lying with his belly down and stretched half-across the bed. Lila chuckled, then got back into the bed and pulled the covers back to approach her husband to kiss him on his neck making him hum. Lila lied her back down, then rolled her eyes at Nathaniel's back and noticed a tattoo he had on his back, which resembled the logo of Super Nathan.
"I don't remember seeing this tattoo on you," Commented Lila looking at the tattoo, then passed her hand gently over the tattoo to feel a small scar over it, making the woman ponder about its existence. "Since when do you have this scar here?" Questioned Lila hearing the man mumble. "Huh?"
"I have finished the painting sir," Mumbled the redhead, making Lila chuckle, then nudged his arm gently.
"What are you talking about?"
"Yes," Mumbled Nathaniel making Lila shake her head.
"I don't remember having heard you talking while sleeping," Lila commented watching the man sleep. "Do you respond to me, when I whisper you something?" Questioned Lila approaching her lips onto his ear. "The painting you made about the moon is beautiful," Spoke Lila making Nathaniel chuckle.
"Thank you," Commented Nathaniel making Lila shake her head amused, afterward she back on the mattress taking one last look at the tattoo of her husband.
"Your and Karaa's life are much more important. Please do us this favor…." Lila's voice ran through her mind, making her widen her eyes from recognizing the words. Lila pondered about, what she just heard in her head and closed her eyes again to hope to figuring out, what she had been trying to remember. "Your and Karaa's life are much more important. Please do us this favor…...I promise you, I won't judge you,"
By forenoon, Luka, Ivan, and Adrien were together on the outside playing together music, while Anarka watched them play including the puppy dog, which observed the group playing while wagging with its tail. Anarka began to applaud as the group was done with their song, then observed Dice bark at the trio entertained by them.
"Now this one was played really well now. I have to admit, despite the low chances you all had to practice together you have done it well," Complimented the woman earning a smile from the trio, mostly Ivan and Adrien. "I think now it's the best moment for you all to take a break. In the meanwhile, I will get down and bring us a coke or a lemonade," Anarka offered walking away, earning a thank you from the blonde man.
"I can't believe this puppy belongs to Shiryoku," Commented Adrien.
"How did he get another dog pregnant. Aren't guide dogs meant to be neutered?" Questioned Ivan making Luka chuckle.
"I heard his story, but I do have understanding. Can you imagine being a house pet or work pet minding your own business and one day your owner decides to cut off your reproductive organs? Or better said, you think about this and see what actually it's going to be done on them?"
"This is what feared me. Also, I wasn't expecting, the first thing Shiryoku was gonna do on that day would be mating with somebody, but I was wrong" Stated Adrien making Ivan chuckle.
"No big deal. You guys solved the solution, most of the puppies got a good home and they even go for a good use," Commented Ivan making Adrien nod.
"Exactly….about this topic at the moment….I….and Kagami went to visit her mom the other day and Elliot watched on the street younger kids, which seemed to be siblings. Have you ever thought about…..I don't know, expanding your horizons?"
"Myléne is alright with Cody only," Commented Ivan. "We never planned on a second or third child," Answered Ivan, then looked at Luka, which shrugged his shoulders.
"Initially Marinette wanted three, at least. Just the first time after she gave birth to Rouven and she had trouble, she's reculant in wanting a second one now. We might come back to the topic eventually. Perhaps after her career goes well," Luka explained making Adrien nod. "Have you planned anything with Kagami?"
"Well we know, that Elliot seems really interested in having a sibling as well," Commented Adrien. "I thought about if this would be a good idea,"
"It's up to the two of you. Do you think you're doing well with Elliot for now? You two would have to know, that you're both able to sustain both of them…..well financially you're good, but in terms of love, education, presence….,"
"I know Kagami's been good since Elliot was born. I have since my studies been absent a lot from Elliot's life. Just now I've been working to be present to Elliot now, repaying for the missed chances,"
"Now that you're unemployed…..well, still unemployed," Added Ivan. "You could wait a year or two and discuss with Kagami about it or wait to see, what Elliot's opinion will be about a younger sibling. You know kids at this age don't know, that asking for a brother or a pet brings a lot of for all. Perhaps you'll need to point this out sometime,"
"Right it does," Commented Adrien. "We know a big chunk of the tasks from my sister Hope, afterward we got to use it on Elliot,"
"Plan that with Kagami. You'll be this time prepared and more self-assured than you were with Elliot first," Luka commented making Adrien nod, then observed the man struck the strings on the guitar and the blonde looked at the Seine river recognizing the pier, he once years ago heard from Kagami, that she was pregnant, what she had revealed in fear he was going to lose his life.
At a mall, Lila, Rose, Juleka, and Myléne sat together around a table for lunch as they had reunited from work to spend the break together.
"How is your day going so far?" Questioned Myléne looking at the women eating cold salad.
"I have already cut the hair to three women today and a little toddler," Rose responded making Juleka nod, which raised her hand to show the number five.
"I had five clients, three for manicure one for a pedicure, and the last one for all three things," Mentioned Juleka. "Before we left a person had come late for her appointment and along with Rose we finished her quick before we could get her and leave Jean back with Marc dealing with Nadja Charmack,"
"Is she a…...special client?" Questioned Lila about the way Juleka had empathized the sentence.
"She often visits us to do her nails or hair. She's basically one of our frequenters. She, Alya, River, Adrien's mom, and you Lila count as one too. Our moms….." Rose counted down all the people she could remember at the moment. "About a part are our families"
"And only the adults there are frequenters?" Questioned Lila making Rose shake her head.
"Well, one of Jean's cousins comes along too. We don't have much, to be honest," Confessed Rose making the raven-haired woman nod. "Your Nathalie isn't one. I think she has only cut her hair once…..oh and she went through a lice check-up, back when she was in the kindergarten. Kodiak and Rouven were present as well for said task,"
"Someone had it in the past?" Questiond Lila surprised making Rose nod.
"Well, not them, but someone else from the other kindergarten group,"
"Oh good,"
"You were so worried on the day you came here with Nathalie. Even little Nathalie was scared about the drama you had thrown on your way back from school," Commented Rose making Myléne chuckle.
"I do believe I have acted a little overdramatic at some points," Commented Lila earning a nod from her acting friend.
"This is one of your parts, Lila. One, where we can clearly tell, it's you," Commented Myléne making Juleka nod.
"For me, it's one of the funniest parts about it. Depending on how much drama she makes it about," Spoke Juleka making Rose nod.
"Well, I just make it very sure, that I'm worried about my daughter's well-being," Commented Lila crossing her arms with a pout making the women laugh.
"That's it! That's the Lila we knew and missed!" Announced Rose glad, then embraced the tall woman making Lila wide her eyes.
"Hey, now I remember your overly excitement around your friends. You were quite the loudest," Commented Lila placing her arm behind Rose's back to pat her, which nodded at Lila's notice.
Marinette stood in the corridor storing into it a sewing box, then made her way to the kitchen to open the fridge to take out a bottle of milk to fill it into a cup.
"Rouven, would you like to have chocolate milk?" Asked Marinette hearing a loud yes coming from the inside of the toilet. Marinette chuckled about the son's answer, then moved to the microwave to put the cup in it to heat it up. Someone rang on the bell, making Marinette wonder, who it was and she opened the door to see it was Durant Lefevre.
"Oh what a surprise to see you," Spoke Marinette making Durant smile.
"I wanted to check on your neighbor here, but he's gone," Spoke Durant making Marinette nod.
"Yes, actually he's supposed to be around. Unless he left to get his car from the carroserie garage. I'm not sure, if you heard about it, he crashed against the car of the journalist River Langerak or vice versa. I don't know whose guilt it was, but I know both were driving on that night,"
"Oh, I haven't heard about that. Is he okay?" Asked Durant picking up on the story to sound more believable about knowing this Costas from next door.
"No one was hurt. The car damage didn't seem to have been that big. It had happened last week. On Thursday I think,"
"I hope he's good," Commented Durant making Marinette nod.
"I assure you he is," Marinette commented. "Are you interested in getting in?" Questioned Marinette making Durant smile.
"Sure," Responded Durant following Marinette into the corridor, then closed the door behind him. "Your boy is back from school or…..."
"He's in the bathroom. He's training to be a man, you know," Commented Marinette making Durant chuckle as both walked into the kitchen and Marinette pressed the button to start the countdown of the microwave.
"And by training you mean, he's learning to pee the men's way?" Questioned Durant making Marinette nod.
"My husband Luka has shown him often, how exactly it's done and Rouven wants to show him in the end, he can do it without his help anymore. I just prefer to be around, because…..he might miss it," Spoke Marinette, then walked to the fridge to open it again. "What would you like to drink? I've got lemonade, coke, and uh water," Offered Marinette, then Durant looked around the kitchen to see at a corner, a prepared mis-en-place and a cookbook showing that Marinette had planned to prepare something.
"I think I'll go with lemonade," Responded Durant. "You're planning to bake something?" Asked the blonde hearing the woman hum.
"Yeah, I planned to make brownies with white chocolate. Or they're named whities as well,"
"Wow, I never tasted such a thing,"
"Chocolate brownies?" Questioned Marinette looking away from the fridge at the man.
"Nope, but the ones with white chocolate. Are they better than the basic chocolate ones?" Asked Durant looking at Marinette taking out the jar with the lemonade and returned to look into the fridge to look for something else.
"Uh well, it depends on you. I know many people, that aren't fond of white chocolate, so they prefer the original ones," Answered Marinette and Durant looked at the digital scale on the counter, then returned to look at Marinette, which searched through the fridge. "I could swear the margarine was here,"
Durant walked up slowly at Marinette while taking the scale with him and stood behind her observing her glimpse into the fridge pondering about the missing ingredient.
"You're going to bake right now?" Questioned Durant making the woman shake her head.
"Nope I was going to make a slice of toast for Rouven, but I can't find the margarine anymore," Commented Marinette, then Durant pondered for a second and used his finger to point up at the eggs on the fridge.
"What about there?" Questioned Durant making Marinette frown to look at the file of eggs she had in there.
"Why should someone put it with the eggs?" Questioned Marinette looking up at the eggs, then Durant hit Marinette on the side of her head causing her to fall down onto his arms, while he kept holding the scale in one hand.
"This gotta be one of the stupidest ideas, I have ever had?" Spoke Durant to himself, then heard the microwave beep after it got turned off, shrieking Durant, who had dropped Marinette on the floor along with the scale beside her.
"Maman?!" Asked Rouven loud appearing by the entrance, which shrieked Durant as well as he saw the boy was around. Durant looked back at the boy, which looked up him with fear.
"Merde," Mumbled Durant from seeing the boy was around, then Durant ran after Rouven, which returned back into the toilet and closed the door behind him. "Hey! Get out of there!" Ordered Durant knocking on the door.
In the meanwhile, from Marinette's jeans's pocket, Tikki glimpsed out to see her owner was unconscious and gasped.
"Marinette…." Spoke Tikki, then flew up at her face to nudge her on the cheeks, seeing no reaction. Tikki flew up in the air to look at the kitchen table, then sighed in relief to see Marinette's smartphone was on the table, then pressed the home button and gave in the pin, afterward it asked for a fingerprint check, making her frown and disappear into the smartphone managing to unlock it. She got out, then while she heard Durant trying to get Rouven, Tikki opened the messaging app entering into the group chat to see various friends' comments about a certain topic.
"I don't have time for that. Someone sure will see it," Tikki said beginning to type down while saying it out for herself. "SOS, Someone broke into my house. I and Rouven are alone and need help. Get Luka too," Tikki commented, then pressed the side button to lock the smartphone and saw the display turn on again to reveal a separate message from Nathaniel.
"I just left work, I will pass by immediately," Nathaniel responded making Tikki sigh relieved, then flew out of the window to look down at the streets to wait for the hero.