1 Chapter Six—A Surprise for the Treehouse
Morning had passed. The sun rose high into the clear sky, signaling the arrival of afternoon.
Malone and Veronica still hadn't returned yet. Roxton was in the treehouse, cleaning out his rifles and checking the supply of their ammunition. He had stopped his work once and a while to peek out on the balcony at Marguerite and Challenger—they had been out there for a while, and Roxton was wondering what they were up to. In fact, he was just about to go outside and interrupt, but the familiar sound of the ascending elevator up stopped him. "Finally, they're back," he said to no one in particular, and put down his rifle to greet Veronica and Malone.
"Ah, hello there, Veronica!" said Roxton cheerfully, as he smiled at the jungle beauty. His smile quickly disappeared as Veronica pushed right passed him, an angry and upset scowl marking her face.
"Veronica!" cried Malone, as he ran to catch up with her and also passed right by Roxton without even a simple hello. "Veronica, don't be like this!" he shouted, throwing his rifle on the floor in anger. "Would you at least look at me?! Come on, I want to talk to you about this!"
Veronica spun around angrily, her blue eyes shining angrily with fire. "Well, I don't want to talk to you!" she cried, and spun back around and headed to the kitchen.
"Veronica!" Malone sped after her.
Roxton sighed as he stepped back from the charging reporter, and shook his head in dismay. It was obvious that Veronica and Malone had gotten into another fight about something. Roxton chucked. And everyone says that Marguerite and I fight a lot, he thought silently. He sighed again as he went to the kitchen to play his role as referee, and hoped he'd be able to stop the fight before they either killed each other or destroyed the treehouse in trying to do so.
Challenger and Marguerite sat outside together on the balcony, chatting away happily. No more of Marguerite's past had been brought up—they wanted to keep the atmosphere clear of that, and other issues as well. Like Challenger had said, stress wasn't good for the baby, even in the early stages it was going through.
The major topic now had been on telling the rest of the treehouse about Marguerite's pregnancy, especially Roxton. Challenger thought that Marguerite should tell everyone right away, so the secret would be out of the way and Marguerite wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. And of course, there was much planning to be done. Challenger said that planning for a major event like this couldn't be done so in secret.
Marguerite, on the other hand, wanted to wait. She was still quite nervous about telling her secret, and was still worried about Roxton's reaction. Besides, they had a full eight to nine months left to prepare for the whole thing, she argued. Also, it would give her more time to think of a way she was going to tell everyone.
Suddenly, their debate was interrupted as yelling and screaming erupted back from inside the treehouse. "What in the world?!" Marguerite cried, standing up from the chair abruptly.
Challenger stood up as well. "It sounds like Veronica and Malone are back," he said, "and that they've brought another argument back with them." He winced as he heard a dinner plate smash against the floor.
Marguerite also heard Roxton yelling over the voices of the younger people. "Great, and it sounds like they've also got John going in this, too." She frowned and rolled her eyes.
Challenger chuckled. "Maybe we should save the rest of this conversation for another time, and go help the other three before they start drawing blood." Marguerite nervously giggled and nodded her head. "Let's go."
They set the chairs aside and strode back into the treehouse. They entered the kitchen . . . upon which they saw Roxton tightly holding Malone back from charging at Veronica, and Veronica standing across the room. She was holding another plate up high in the air, threatening to launch it. Already, the kitchen floor was littered with pieces of other plates that had been smashed.
"Dear God!" cried Challenger, and carefully stepped over the mess to get to Veronica. He took hold of her arm and implored her to put down the plate. Veronica yelled at Challenger, telling him to stay out of it because it was between her and Malone. Roxton then yelled at Veronica, saying that she had already pulled himself into the fight and was not getting out of it until it was resolved. Malone then decided to shout at Roxton, telling him not to yell at Veronica and that the conflict wasn't any of his business. Then all four of them started yelling at once. Nothing could clearly be heard, which aggravated everyone and heated the fight even more.
In the midst of all this stood Marguerite, helplessly staring around the room in distress. Now Challenger had gotten involved as well. Gotten involved in what? Marguerite thought. She didn't even know what the damn argument was about! Either way, someone had to stop this chaos . . . and she was the one who had to do it. But how?
Suddenly, Marguerite had a thought . . . a crazy little thought in the back of her head. She stared at the angry face of Roxton, and thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea after all. But still . . . the thought nagged at her from the back of her mind. She had to try it. If it didn't work, she would stop.
Marguerite took in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she managed to squeak out in a tiny, nervous voice. She shut her eyes immediately . . . and then opened them and frowned.
No one had even heard her! They were still all busy arguing. Veronica had even thrown another plate on the floor!
"I'm pregnant," she said in a slightly louder voice. Still, no one had heard her.
Marguerite growled. These people were starting to drive her insane! Impulsively, she uttered, "I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant . . . pregnant!!" She yelled, and imitating the actions of Veronica, grabbed a plate sitting nearby and threw it to the floor, where it smashed into pieces. "I'M PREGNANT!" she cried.
Immediately, the shouts and the cries stopped all at once, as everyone turned to stare at Marguerite. The treehouse went completely silent. Marguerite gulped, suddenly regretting what she had done.
Veronica, who had been holding another plate, dropped it on the floor in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth.
Challenger had just sighed and closed his eyes.
Malone's eyes were as round as saucers.
Roxton was the most surprised of all. He stood there, staring at Marguerite with wide eyes and was breathing heavily. Slowly and unsteadily, he walked over the cracked pieces of plates and crossed the kitchen to Marguerite, and stood right in front of her. "M-M-Marguerite. . . ?" he stammered, looking into her nervous, gray eyes.
When their eyes met, Marguerite couldn't look away. Instead, she sighed. "Yes, John," she said, nodding, "I'm pregnant."
Morning had passed. The sun rose high into the clear sky, signaling the arrival of afternoon.
Malone and Veronica still hadn't returned yet. Roxton was in the treehouse, cleaning out his rifles and checking the supply of their ammunition. He had stopped his work once and a while to peek out on the balcony at Marguerite and Challenger—they had been out there for a while, and Roxton was wondering what they were up to. In fact, he was just about to go outside and interrupt, but the familiar sound of the ascending elevator up stopped him. "Finally, they're back," he said to no one in particular, and put down his rifle to greet Veronica and Malone.
"Ah, hello there, Veronica!" said Roxton cheerfully, as he smiled at the jungle beauty. His smile quickly disappeared as Veronica pushed right passed him, an angry and upset scowl marking her face.
"Veronica!" cried Malone, as he ran to catch up with her and also passed right by Roxton without even a simple hello. "Veronica, don't be like this!" he shouted, throwing his rifle on the floor in anger. "Would you at least look at me?! Come on, I want to talk to you about this!"
Veronica spun around angrily, her blue eyes shining angrily with fire. "Well, I don't want to talk to you!" she cried, and spun back around and headed to the kitchen.
"Veronica!" Malone sped after her.
Roxton sighed as he stepped back from the charging reporter, and shook his head in dismay. It was obvious that Veronica and Malone had gotten into another fight about something. Roxton chucked. And everyone says that Marguerite and I fight a lot, he thought silently. He sighed again as he went to the kitchen to play his role as referee, and hoped he'd be able to stop the fight before they either killed each other or destroyed the treehouse in trying to do so.
Challenger and Marguerite sat outside together on the balcony, chatting away happily. No more of Marguerite's past had been brought up—they wanted to keep the atmosphere clear of that, and other issues as well. Like Challenger had said, stress wasn't good for the baby, even in the early stages it was going through.
The major topic now had been on telling the rest of the treehouse about Marguerite's pregnancy, especially Roxton. Challenger thought that Marguerite should tell everyone right away, so the secret would be out of the way and Marguerite wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. And of course, there was much planning to be done. Challenger said that planning for a major event like this couldn't be done so in secret.
Marguerite, on the other hand, wanted to wait. She was still quite nervous about telling her secret, and was still worried about Roxton's reaction. Besides, they had a full eight to nine months left to prepare for the whole thing, she argued. Also, it would give her more time to think of a way she was going to tell everyone.
Suddenly, their debate was interrupted as yelling and screaming erupted back from inside the treehouse. "What in the world?!" Marguerite cried, standing up from the chair abruptly.
Challenger stood up as well. "It sounds like Veronica and Malone are back," he said, "and that they've brought another argument back with them." He winced as he heard a dinner plate smash against the floor.
Marguerite also heard Roxton yelling over the voices of the younger people. "Great, and it sounds like they've also got John going in this, too." She frowned and rolled her eyes.
Challenger chuckled. "Maybe we should save the rest of this conversation for another time, and go help the other three before they start drawing blood." Marguerite nervously giggled and nodded her head. "Let's go."
They set the chairs aside and strode back into the treehouse. They entered the kitchen . . . upon which they saw Roxton tightly holding Malone back from charging at Veronica, and Veronica standing across the room. She was holding another plate up high in the air, threatening to launch it. Already, the kitchen floor was littered with pieces of other plates that had been smashed.
"Dear God!" cried Challenger, and carefully stepped over the mess to get to Veronica. He took hold of her arm and implored her to put down the plate. Veronica yelled at Challenger, telling him to stay out of it because it was between her and Malone. Roxton then yelled at Veronica, saying that she had already pulled himself into the fight and was not getting out of it until it was resolved. Malone then decided to shout at Roxton, telling him not to yell at Veronica and that the conflict wasn't any of his business. Then all four of them started yelling at once. Nothing could clearly be heard, which aggravated everyone and heated the fight even more.
In the midst of all this stood Marguerite, helplessly staring around the room in distress. Now Challenger had gotten involved as well. Gotten involved in what? Marguerite thought. She didn't even know what the damn argument was about! Either way, someone had to stop this chaos . . . and she was the one who had to do it. But how?
Suddenly, Marguerite had a thought . . . a crazy little thought in the back of her head. She stared at the angry face of Roxton, and thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea after all. But still . . . the thought nagged at her from the back of her mind. She had to try it. If it didn't work, she would stop.
Marguerite took in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she managed to squeak out in a tiny, nervous voice. She shut her eyes immediately . . . and then opened them and frowned.
No one had even heard her! They were still all busy arguing. Veronica had even thrown another plate on the floor!
"I'm pregnant," she said in a slightly louder voice. Still, no one had heard her.
Marguerite growled. These people were starting to drive her insane! Impulsively, she uttered, "I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant . . . pregnant!!" She yelled, and imitating the actions of Veronica, grabbed a plate sitting nearby and threw it to the floor, where it smashed into pieces. "I'M PREGNANT!" she cried.
Immediately, the shouts and the cries stopped all at once, as everyone turned to stare at Marguerite. The treehouse went completely silent. Marguerite gulped, suddenly regretting what she had done.
Veronica, who had been holding another plate, dropped it on the floor in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth.
Challenger had just sighed and closed his eyes.
Malone's eyes were as round as saucers.
Roxton was the most surprised of all. He stood there, staring at Marguerite with wide eyes and was breathing heavily. Slowly and unsteadily, he walked over the cracked pieces of plates and crossed the kitchen to Marguerite, and stood right in front of her. "M-M-Marguerite. . . ?" he stammered, looking into her nervous, gray eyes.
When their eyes met, Marguerite couldn't look away. Instead, she sighed. "Yes, John," she said, nodding, "I'm pregnant."