Danny led Dea down the stairs to go tell his parents...they were going to
have to sometime, right? Danny's parents were sitting at the kitchen table
working on their latest ludicrous invention. Danny looked at Dea nervously,
but Dea squeezed his hand reassuringly. They stood in front of Danny's
parents, nervously waiting for them to look up.
Jack: Hey you two! Check out our latest invention! It's designed to make invisible ghosts visible.
Maddie: Just two more days, and it's finished!
Jack: It's finished?? Wonderful!
Danny: Mom, Dad, um...I have to tell you something.
Jazz was sitting in the living room reading her book, Surviving Adolescence Through Therapy. When she heard this, she muttered, "This is gonna be good" and walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
Dea: Jazz, get outta here!
Jazz: No way, I have a right to be here.
Danny: Shut up, both of you. Ouch! Don't kick me!
Dea: Danny, just say it.
Danny: Dad, Dea was downstairs looking for uuhh...
Dea: A replacement screw! Um, I needed a replacement screw for the trucks on my skateboard.
Danny: Yeah! Anyway, um...
Dea: Spill it Danny, I'm blind!
His parents gasped. They looked at each other, utterly stunned. Jazz laughed uproariously.
Jazz: Mom, Dad, you can't really believe them! She wouldn't have known I walked in unless she could see!
Dea: (falsely laughing) You know, it's a funny thing. When you go blind your other senses heighten unbelievably. Like right now I can tell you're clicking your fingernails together under the table.
Maddie: How did this happen?
Danny: I told you, she was looking for a spare screw for the trucks on her skateboard and she tripped, and some chemicals got knocked over.
Maddie: Jack! I thought I told you to put a lid on those barrels!
Jack: Well, yes, you did Honey, but I got called away. There was a crash upstairs and I thought it was a ghost!
Jazz: That was me. I dropped a plate.
Maddie: (sigh) I suppose there's nothing we can do about it.
Jazz: They're so lying. Here, watch. Think fast!
Jazz threw an orange at Dea, but Danny caught it instead.
Danny: Jazz, we're not kidding around here!
Dea: No Danny, it's ok. Give it here. Jazz, I may not be able to see the orange you threw...
She set it on the table and picked up one of the letter openers on the table. She threw it across the room and it landed in the middle of the orange.
Dea: But I got more in return. I might not be able to walk down the sidewalk by myself, and I'll have to work on memorizing where everything in the house is, but I'm OK, all in all.
Jack: Good for you! You'd be good at darts!
Maddie: Jack, this is not the time. Maybe you should be downstairs putting lids on those chemicals?
Jack: Erm...Yes Maddie.
Danny's dad left to go down to the lab. The conversation finished five minutes later and Dea was about to go back up to her room. When she tried to walk through the doorway, she tripped over a plank of wood that had been there to mark the doorway for years. She stood up looking embarrassed.
Dea: I'm ok, no big deal, I'm totally fine!
She finally mad her way up the stairs, tripping twice and hurriedly reassuring them she's ok. Jazz shook her head. She still thought they were lying just to stir up trouble for the sake of it. Danny's eyes brightened as he thought of an idea.
Danny: Hey, Mom?
Maddie: Yes, Danny?
Danny: Mom, can we get Dea a dog?
Maddie: Oh, Danny, that's very sweet, but I don't think we could take care of a dog.
Danny: But Mom, her birthday is three days away, and we could get her a seeing eye dog!
Jazz: he's got a good idea there Mom.
Maddie: ....Oh, I suppose it's alright.
Danny: Yes!
Maddie: We'll take her to the pet store on Saturday.
For Danny, the days passed in anticipation. Dea had no idea what a surprise she was in for, and she remained happy. Since she could no longer see, she stuck to doing small crafts by feel such as making wooden necklaces or sewing small rhinestones on random things. Dea still hadn't gone outside and Sam and Tucker had returned on her birthday. She refused to see them even though she desperately wanted too. They hadn't seen each other in three months and they missed each other.
Tucker: What's her problem? Why won't she talk to us?
Danny: I'm waiting for her to tell you herself.
Sam: Danny, just tell us!
Danny: No. I'm waiting for her.
Sam: Fine, if you're not going to tell us, then at least go upstairs and convince her to tell us!
Danny: Fine, but I'm not promising anything.
Danny walked up the stairs and knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Dea took longer answering than usual, and when she did she just opened the door and let him in.
Dea: I'll tell them soon. I was listening in. I could hear you guys downstairs.
Danny: Why not just tell them now?
Dea: (sigh) I dunno.
Danny: Look, they're gonna find out anyway, and when they do, they won't treat you any differently. That's what true friends do.
Dea: How do you do it? I mean dang, you can send anyone on a guilt trip. Alright, I'll go. Don't lead me down the stairs though OK?
Danny: OK. I won't. C'mon, they're waiting downstairs.
Danny walked down the stairs and watched Dea come down slowly. She felt her way very slowly and Tucker, being his usual rude self, was getting annoyed.
Tucker: Come on Dea! It doesn't take this long to walk down the stairs!
Dea: Shove it Tucker! It's harder for me now!
Sam: How can it be harder?
Dea stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked at a blank spot in the room. She held her hand out for Danny and he stepped up beside her and whispered something in her ear. She whispered something back and felt for Sam's arm. She couldn't find her so just stopped.
Dea: You guys... Danny told you what happened the other day right?
Tucker: No, why? What happened?
Danny: It's a REEEEAALLY long story!
Danny and Dea went to work explaining what happened in excruciating detail. Dea filled in the parts Danny missed but Danny left out the part about Dea being blind.
Danny: It's time Dea!
Dea: (sigh) Fine. You guys...I-I can't see.
Tucker: ...You mean you're blind?
Dea: No, Tuck, I mean I can't eat, of coarse it means I'm blind.
Sam: When did this happen?
Danny: The other day. Let's get off the subject. Dea, we've got a surprise for you.
Tucker: We have to walk a ways though.
Sam: It'll be worth it though.
Dea: Oh, guys, I don't want to go outside.
Danny: (getting up) Come on, Dea, we're taking you somewhere.
Dea: Aww, come on you guys, I really don't want to go outside.
Sam: Don't worry about it, no one's going to notice!
They forced Dea to get up and go outside. She was getting pale without sunlight anyway. Danny, Sam, and Tucker led her down the sidewalk talking about nonsense things and trying to get her to join in the conversations. Little did she know they were taking her to the pet store, as it was her birthday. They walked in the store and Dea still didn't have a clue. Danny had picked out a dog for her beforehand: A tiny little orange and white terrier. Just the dog Dea wanted. They took her to the back room and let her feel him.
Dea: Danny! Is this- is this a Mut Terrier?
Danny: Yep!
Sam: He's your birthday present from us!
Dea: You guys have got to be kidding me!
Tuck: Nope! They call him Shiny down here, but you're free to re-name him!
Dea: Oh my gosh guys! Thanks! Oh, I wish I could see him!
Danny: He's gonna help. He's been trained as a seeing eye dog, so he could help you out.
Dea: Wow you guys! It's good to know you're always thinking of me! This is the best present ever! I've always wanted a little dog like this.
Dea gave them each a hug, Tucker looking strained, hooked the leash to Shiny's collar, and Danny led her out. This relly was the best birthday gift ever for Dea.
Jack: Hey you two! Check out our latest invention! It's designed to make invisible ghosts visible.
Maddie: Just two more days, and it's finished!
Jack: It's finished?? Wonderful!
Danny: Mom, Dad, um...I have to tell you something.
Jazz was sitting in the living room reading her book, Surviving Adolescence Through Therapy. When she heard this, she muttered, "This is gonna be good" and walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
Dea: Jazz, get outta here!
Jazz: No way, I have a right to be here.
Danny: Shut up, both of you. Ouch! Don't kick me!
Dea: Danny, just say it.
Danny: Dad, Dea was downstairs looking for uuhh...
Dea: A replacement screw! Um, I needed a replacement screw for the trucks on my skateboard.
Danny: Yeah! Anyway, um...
Dea: Spill it Danny, I'm blind!
His parents gasped. They looked at each other, utterly stunned. Jazz laughed uproariously.
Jazz: Mom, Dad, you can't really believe them! She wouldn't have known I walked in unless she could see!
Dea: (falsely laughing) You know, it's a funny thing. When you go blind your other senses heighten unbelievably. Like right now I can tell you're clicking your fingernails together under the table.
Maddie: How did this happen?
Danny: I told you, she was looking for a spare screw for the trucks on her skateboard and she tripped, and some chemicals got knocked over.
Maddie: Jack! I thought I told you to put a lid on those barrels!
Jack: Well, yes, you did Honey, but I got called away. There was a crash upstairs and I thought it was a ghost!
Jazz: That was me. I dropped a plate.
Maddie: (sigh) I suppose there's nothing we can do about it.
Jazz: They're so lying. Here, watch. Think fast!
Jazz threw an orange at Dea, but Danny caught it instead.
Danny: Jazz, we're not kidding around here!
Dea: No Danny, it's ok. Give it here. Jazz, I may not be able to see the orange you threw...
She set it on the table and picked up one of the letter openers on the table. She threw it across the room and it landed in the middle of the orange.
Dea: But I got more in return. I might not be able to walk down the sidewalk by myself, and I'll have to work on memorizing where everything in the house is, but I'm OK, all in all.
Jack: Good for you! You'd be good at darts!
Maddie: Jack, this is not the time. Maybe you should be downstairs putting lids on those chemicals?
Jack: Erm...Yes Maddie.
Danny's dad left to go down to the lab. The conversation finished five minutes later and Dea was about to go back up to her room. When she tried to walk through the doorway, she tripped over a plank of wood that had been there to mark the doorway for years. She stood up looking embarrassed.
Dea: I'm ok, no big deal, I'm totally fine!
She finally mad her way up the stairs, tripping twice and hurriedly reassuring them she's ok. Jazz shook her head. She still thought they were lying just to stir up trouble for the sake of it. Danny's eyes brightened as he thought of an idea.
Danny: Hey, Mom?
Maddie: Yes, Danny?
Danny: Mom, can we get Dea a dog?
Maddie: Oh, Danny, that's very sweet, but I don't think we could take care of a dog.
Danny: But Mom, her birthday is three days away, and we could get her a seeing eye dog!
Jazz: he's got a good idea there Mom.
Maddie: ....Oh, I suppose it's alright.
Danny: Yes!
Maddie: We'll take her to the pet store on Saturday.
For Danny, the days passed in anticipation. Dea had no idea what a surprise she was in for, and she remained happy. Since she could no longer see, she stuck to doing small crafts by feel such as making wooden necklaces or sewing small rhinestones on random things. Dea still hadn't gone outside and Sam and Tucker had returned on her birthday. She refused to see them even though she desperately wanted too. They hadn't seen each other in three months and they missed each other.
Tucker: What's her problem? Why won't she talk to us?
Danny: I'm waiting for her to tell you herself.
Sam: Danny, just tell us!
Danny: No. I'm waiting for her.
Sam: Fine, if you're not going to tell us, then at least go upstairs and convince her to tell us!
Danny: Fine, but I'm not promising anything.
Danny walked up the stairs and knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Dea took longer answering than usual, and when she did she just opened the door and let him in.
Dea: I'll tell them soon. I was listening in. I could hear you guys downstairs.
Danny: Why not just tell them now?
Dea: (sigh) I dunno.
Danny: Look, they're gonna find out anyway, and when they do, they won't treat you any differently. That's what true friends do.
Dea: How do you do it? I mean dang, you can send anyone on a guilt trip. Alright, I'll go. Don't lead me down the stairs though OK?
Danny: OK. I won't. C'mon, they're waiting downstairs.
Danny walked down the stairs and watched Dea come down slowly. She felt her way very slowly and Tucker, being his usual rude self, was getting annoyed.
Tucker: Come on Dea! It doesn't take this long to walk down the stairs!
Dea: Shove it Tucker! It's harder for me now!
Sam: How can it be harder?
Dea stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked at a blank spot in the room. She held her hand out for Danny and he stepped up beside her and whispered something in her ear. She whispered something back and felt for Sam's arm. She couldn't find her so just stopped.
Dea: You guys... Danny told you what happened the other day right?
Tucker: No, why? What happened?
Danny: It's a REEEEAALLY long story!
Danny and Dea went to work explaining what happened in excruciating detail. Dea filled in the parts Danny missed but Danny left out the part about Dea being blind.
Danny: It's time Dea!
Dea: (sigh) Fine. You guys...I-I can't see.
Tucker: ...You mean you're blind?
Dea: No, Tuck, I mean I can't eat, of coarse it means I'm blind.
Sam: When did this happen?
Danny: The other day. Let's get off the subject. Dea, we've got a surprise for you.
Tucker: We have to walk a ways though.
Sam: It'll be worth it though.
Dea: Oh, guys, I don't want to go outside.
Danny: (getting up) Come on, Dea, we're taking you somewhere.
Dea: Aww, come on you guys, I really don't want to go outside.
Sam: Don't worry about it, no one's going to notice!
They forced Dea to get up and go outside. She was getting pale without sunlight anyway. Danny, Sam, and Tucker led her down the sidewalk talking about nonsense things and trying to get her to join in the conversations. Little did she know they were taking her to the pet store, as it was her birthday. They walked in the store and Dea still didn't have a clue. Danny had picked out a dog for her beforehand: A tiny little orange and white terrier. Just the dog Dea wanted. They took her to the back room and let her feel him.
Dea: Danny! Is this- is this a Mut Terrier?
Danny: Yep!
Sam: He's your birthday present from us!
Dea: You guys have got to be kidding me!
Tuck: Nope! They call him Shiny down here, but you're free to re-name him!
Dea: Oh my gosh guys! Thanks! Oh, I wish I could see him!
Danny: He's gonna help. He's been trained as a seeing eye dog, so he could help you out.
Dea: Wow you guys! It's good to know you're always thinking of me! This is the best present ever! I've always wanted a little dog like this.
Dea gave them each a hug, Tucker looking strained, hooked the leash to Shiny's collar, and Danny led her out. This relly was the best birthday gift ever for Dea.