Chapter 4

"Van!" Joe shouted and ran for the kitchen with Frank and Callie right behind him. "What the… hey, what is this all about?"

Vanessa was sitting on the floor and by the looks of her position, she seemed to have slipped. But, at the same time, she was laughing and trying to put herself up. Joe crouched down beside her and asked her, "You okay?" although he knew what her answer would be.

Vanessa had calmed down a bit then said with a smile, "Yeah, it's just that.." and was laughing again.

Frank and Callie went also to stand near to Vanessa and they and Joe seemed to be quite amused with Vanessa'a behavior.

Vanessa stopped laughing and then said to them, "Oh, nothing. I just slipped, obviously, and screamed, obviously again. What made me laughing like mad is…" she chuckled, then continued with "… this."

She held up a Blue Clues cap, then turned it back, and there, embroidered in black, was the name JOE.

Joe blushed and Frank, Callie and Vanessa couldn't help laughing.

Callie just couldn't pass up this opportunity to tease Joe. She turned to him with fraudulent seriousness and said, "Joe Hardy, I didn't know you love Blues Clues, huh?" Then she turned to Frank, "Tell me Frank. Do you and Joe secretly share the same like? I mean, this is Blues Clues after all." And she and Vanessa couldn't help giggling.

"Hey, don't push this into me. Who's name is on the cap anyway? You guys see it clearly. It's J-O-E," Frank spelled out and couldn't help adding, "There, it's Joe." And gave his younger brother a teasing smile.

Joe shook his head slightly and muttered to himself, "Nice job, Van."

"You're saying something, honey?" Vanessa asked Joe with a mischievous glint in her bluish-gray eyes. She stood up and then said, "I'm sorry Joe. I didn't mean to stumble into your little secret," which made Frank and Callie laughing again and Joe looking away, scowling. At the same time, Vanessa secretly placed a folded up letter in the back pocket of her jeans while the others were not looking.

Joe looked back at the three, sighed and said, "All right, you win. I lose. For the first time," he emphasized. "But c'mon, guys, it's just a cap."

"A Blues Clues cap," Frank retorted.

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe I'm just hungry that's why I can't think of a good get-away and comeback for your teasing," Joe replied. Then said, "Now let me get the pizza a certain lady here was supposed to get a while ago before all of this, uh, misfortune for me," he couldn't help saying.

Vanessa rolled her eyes as she got plates and napkins for all of them. "Really Joe. You're making it sound as if it's my fault that I discovered that you have a Blues Clues cap."

Joe just smiled, got the pizza and the four made their way to the living room.

Meanwhile, a man a few feet away from the Hardy home was satisfied with the couple of shots he got with his camera. Everything's going perfect so far, he thought.