The drive home was all but calm. Mary had always known Reed to be a very cautious driver. But that evening, he was going a tiny bit faster than usual, and was also missing turns he never glanced nor steered away from. Mary was very thankful that she and Reed were both in one piece when they reached the mansion. As soon as he parked in the driveway, Rex, who had walked from his post at the mansion's front entrance, to the side of Reed's blue Buick, met Reed. He murmured something to Reed Mary did not understand.
"Rex is probably going through the "Mrs. Peacock is running a little late with dinner." routine."
She thought to herself, as she approached the mansion's front threshold. Mary found it quite odd how there was not much light in the windows, for the sun was beginning to set outside, and it was the time Rex turned some of the lights on in the mansion's living room, five o'clock. To her surprise, Mary also found that Rex had left the door unlocked. He normally locked it when he went out to meet her and Reed. But, Mary decided not to give it much thought, and entered. As soon as she entered, Mary flipped on the living room's overhead light's switch. Something very unexpected greeted her!
"SURPRISE!!"
Joyous voices screamed from behind the couch and two easy chairs in the living room. From those hiding spots, Ben, Sue, and Johnny got up, and went to their young feminine surprisee, who was speechless for a moment, then spoke up.
"Oh my... Friends, Father is in no mood for a party like this tonight."
Looks of shock graced the three chums' faces. Mary continued as she gestured towards a banner draped over a fireplace saying.
"CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ROCKET!"
"I especially advise one of you to take down that banner. With the kind of mood Father is in, that is going to truly bring back the anger that has left him over the situation that came to him via his mailbox this afternoon."
Sue piped up.
"What exactly is this situation that has your stepfather angered Mary?"
Mary, suddenly realizing what she had just said, did not know what to do. Should she tell them about the monetary crisis her stepfather was in with the government, or let him tell them? In the nick of time, Mary saw to her side in the far corner of the living room a diversion.
"(hic) Greeeetings Maaaasssster Reeeeed! (hic) (hic)"
A white-haired man, dressed in a vest, shirt, and pants moaned. Mary walked to him. She thought.
"Oh boy, THIS must be what Rex was talking to Father about."
The memory of the speech Mary's stepfather gave her, the maid, and Rex about not giving Peacock any alcohol after what happened at a New Year's Eve party one year instantly came back to Mary. She looked from her and her stepfather's other butler besides Rex, who was considerably drunk to her three friends. Then eyed Peacock again, and then her friends. Sternly, Mary said.
"Alright, who brought wine or some form of alcohol for the party tonight?"
Nobody would respond.
"I will guarantee that nobody will get in trouble here. Hopefully, Father will understand that all of you were not here for his little oration on why Peacock here should be kept away from alcohol."
Slowly, a hand rose up from one of the three motley people before Mary. It came from the burly Ben.
"Fraid it was me kid. That man there offered ta keep an eye on the wine. Figured there would be no harm. Guess now I know why he wanted ta be near that wine."
Mary, well aware of how Ben was not the brightest bulb in the world at times, easily forgave him.
"Hey Ben, it's ok. Just, from now on, besides keeping alcohol away from him, call "that man" Peacock. The only reason you got away with that this time around was because he's too plastered to notice."
Just as Mary said that, the door at the entrance to the living room abruptly opened, and there stood Reed, his face maintaining a slightly irritated gaze. Behind him was Rex. The look of anger on Reed's face toned down enough so one could tell that he was not exactly enraged, but was not pleased either.
"Oh my... Benjamin, Susan, and Johnny you shouldn't have done all of this."
The three friends of the scientist and his stepdaughter surrounded Reed, and the female one of them asked.
"Reed, Mary said something came up at the Spaceport concerning the rocket, what was it?"
Reed sighed, and gazed around the room, seemingly unsure of what to tell his friends. Then, he said.
"If you do not mind Sue, I will tell all of you at dinner later this evening. Right now, I would like to tend to the little matter here."
He gestured towards Peacock, who was practically in another world that moment.
"Father, I told them about how we try to keep alcohol away from Peacock. They have never experienced what you told me, Mrs. Peacock, and Rex. And, I don't think they will have to after what I said to them."
Reed glanced up at his stepdaughter as he picked up Peacock and placed him on the nearby couch.
"Well thank you Mary. But, the next time our friends here decide to hold a party of any sort, it looks like I will have to remind them about Peacock and his weakness for wine."
Mary sighed since she knew her and Reed's friends got the point as Reed continued.
"Let me quickly go get freshened up, and then why don't we go to that Chinese restaurant a few blocks down? I'll be right back!"
And there, Mary, Ben, Johnny, and Sue waited for their best friend to arrive back go with them to dine, and share what was indeed vital information concerning what had already happened and was to come.
"Rex is probably going through the "Mrs. Peacock is running a little late with dinner." routine."
She thought to herself, as she approached the mansion's front threshold. Mary found it quite odd how there was not much light in the windows, for the sun was beginning to set outside, and it was the time Rex turned some of the lights on in the mansion's living room, five o'clock. To her surprise, Mary also found that Rex had left the door unlocked. He normally locked it when he went out to meet her and Reed. But, Mary decided not to give it much thought, and entered. As soon as she entered, Mary flipped on the living room's overhead light's switch. Something very unexpected greeted her!
"SURPRISE!!"
Joyous voices screamed from behind the couch and two easy chairs in the living room. From those hiding spots, Ben, Sue, and Johnny got up, and went to their young feminine surprisee, who was speechless for a moment, then spoke up.
"Oh my... Friends, Father is in no mood for a party like this tonight."
Looks of shock graced the three chums' faces. Mary continued as she gestured towards a banner draped over a fireplace saying.
"CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ROCKET!"
"I especially advise one of you to take down that banner. With the kind of mood Father is in, that is going to truly bring back the anger that has left him over the situation that came to him via his mailbox this afternoon."
Sue piped up.
"What exactly is this situation that has your stepfather angered Mary?"
Mary, suddenly realizing what she had just said, did not know what to do. Should she tell them about the monetary crisis her stepfather was in with the government, or let him tell them? In the nick of time, Mary saw to her side in the far corner of the living room a diversion.
"(hic) Greeeetings Maaaasssster Reeeeed! (hic) (hic)"
A white-haired man, dressed in a vest, shirt, and pants moaned. Mary walked to him. She thought.
"Oh boy, THIS must be what Rex was talking to Father about."
The memory of the speech Mary's stepfather gave her, the maid, and Rex about not giving Peacock any alcohol after what happened at a New Year's Eve party one year instantly came back to Mary. She looked from her and her stepfather's other butler besides Rex, who was considerably drunk to her three friends. Then eyed Peacock again, and then her friends. Sternly, Mary said.
"Alright, who brought wine or some form of alcohol for the party tonight?"
Nobody would respond.
"I will guarantee that nobody will get in trouble here. Hopefully, Father will understand that all of you were not here for his little oration on why Peacock here should be kept away from alcohol."
Slowly, a hand rose up from one of the three motley people before Mary. It came from the burly Ben.
"Fraid it was me kid. That man there offered ta keep an eye on the wine. Figured there would be no harm. Guess now I know why he wanted ta be near that wine."
Mary, well aware of how Ben was not the brightest bulb in the world at times, easily forgave him.
"Hey Ben, it's ok. Just, from now on, besides keeping alcohol away from him, call "that man" Peacock. The only reason you got away with that this time around was because he's too plastered to notice."
Just as Mary said that, the door at the entrance to the living room abruptly opened, and there stood Reed, his face maintaining a slightly irritated gaze. Behind him was Rex. The look of anger on Reed's face toned down enough so one could tell that he was not exactly enraged, but was not pleased either.
"Oh my... Benjamin, Susan, and Johnny you shouldn't have done all of this."
The three friends of the scientist and his stepdaughter surrounded Reed, and the female one of them asked.
"Reed, Mary said something came up at the Spaceport concerning the rocket, what was it?"
Reed sighed, and gazed around the room, seemingly unsure of what to tell his friends. Then, he said.
"If you do not mind Sue, I will tell all of you at dinner later this evening. Right now, I would like to tend to the little matter here."
He gestured towards Peacock, who was practically in another world that moment.
"Father, I told them about how we try to keep alcohol away from Peacock. They have never experienced what you told me, Mrs. Peacock, and Rex. And, I don't think they will have to after what I said to them."
Reed glanced up at his stepdaughter as he picked up Peacock and placed him on the nearby couch.
"Well thank you Mary. But, the next time our friends here decide to hold a party of any sort, it looks like I will have to remind them about Peacock and his weakness for wine."
Mary sighed since she knew her and Reed's friends got the point as Reed continued.
"Let me quickly go get freshened up, and then why don't we go to that Chinese restaurant a few blocks down? I'll be right back!"
And there, Mary, Ben, Johnny, and Sue waited for their best friend to arrive back go with them to dine, and share what was indeed vital information concerning what had already happened and was to come.
