"You might not need to go out with that Pietro, after all, you see."spoke Sissy triumphantly. "It looks like things are going even better than we planned."
"But I still want to go out with him. I think he has great eyes, besides, it's just for fun."said Ma.Xiomara.
Sissy hissed, and then she left the room.
"So you made that Scott mad, by bringing someone he doesn't like. And now I guess he'll be coming everyday. I don't see that's going to affect him in any way."
Ma.Ximena sighed. "Sissy didn't want us to do something exciting, so we just hasve to settle for that. I like the way people act when they're mad. My mother always acted funny. And my father was hilarious when he was mad at the dog. Well, anyway, let's go to bed. There's nothing better to do, and I'm tired."
Over the next couple of weeks, Lance started visiting the dectuplets every evening, even though he had to go to the Xavier Institute, it had it's advantages. They always had something to show him, they always asked Meche to cook something special for him, and there was the plus side of just watching that Summers fume. Of course, these also took his mind away from the dreams he had every night. He didn't like to think about them, and the distractions helped, but now they seemed to come more often.
There were flames, flames everywhere. He was running back and forth, carrying bundles away from the flames, and then, an explosion. That was it.
"Where are you from, originally?"Ma.Eugenia asked him one day.
"I grew up in Illinois."
"Oh, I'm sorry."she said.
"Sorry? Why?"
"We don't like that place."said Ma.Xaviera. "Our parents took us there when we were only about a year old. Our sisters told us this, because our parents never liked to remember. We're the youngests, you see, and well, there was...an accident, I guess you could say. That's the main reason, we never came to visit the US much. Well, never really. This is the first time we're here, since then. So, if you don't mind, don't talk to us about that place. We're sorry."
"That's all right." He was actually glad that they didn't want to talk about it. He didn't like it, either. He had grown up in a foster home. He didn't seem to belong to anyone. He wasn't even really from Illinois, he didn't know where he was from. He'd rather hear about all the places they had visited.
Sissy was very angry. She hated this place, these people, and she knew she was not alone. There was nothing to do, the weather was terrible. Ma.Eugenia had always confided in her that she didn't like this place, either.
"Really, Sissy,"she said. "Why can't time go by faster? I want to go home, back to my own people, and be able to forget this place I despise so much."
She was right. Not that Sissy enjoyed it much, but she certainly missed it. People hugging and kissing her. The dectuplets and Ma.Eugenia still hugged and kissed her, but outside of that, nobody really paid her much attention. Sissy missed the jungle, the crickets, and mice, the soft cushions, and carpets. Everything about San Pedro. I'll just have to speed things up a little. There's one way that might work. I'd just have to find the right time.
Sissy ran towards Kitty's room. The door was slightly open. You're too slow to react, thought Sissy, I'll have to take manners into my own hands, or paws. Instead of acting like an idiot and throwing dirty looks at Ma.Eugenia and bad-mouthing her, you should take action, and I'll see that you do.
Sissy walked into the room. If it weren't for the door creaking as Sissy pushed it, she wouldn't have noticed. Sissy walked up to Kitty, and pretending she was just curious about what Kitty was reading, she jumped onto Kitty's lap.
A new moon, thought Sissy, as licked Kitty's hand. She is most fertile at the new moon, it is a last quarter moon, now, and the judging from the phases of the moon, and her scent, the 'peak' shall be just this Sunday, perfect, thought Sissy beginning to purr. I must tell the dectuplets, that Lance has to come and watch Alondra with them. No excuses. Sissy ran back to Maru's room.
"Sissy!"Maru exclaimed when she saw her. "I made you a new collar. We just need to attach the bells to it."
"What's the matter, Sissy? What happened?"asked Ma.Xulia.
"Lance must come and watch Alondra with you this very Sunday."Sissy told her.
"Sissy, Alondra comes on very late. And besides, are you sure we would be allowed?"
"I don't care"Sissy snarled.
"Oh, don't get so mad, Sissy. It's just that, well,"she cut off. "I guess he could stay to watch Alondra, there's eleven of us, and one of him, and who cares what people think, as long as we know we're right. Right?"
"Exactly!"Sissy responded. "Now, tell him to be here by nine o'clock the latest Sunday night."
Ma.Xochilt took her cell phone and called Lance. Perfect, thought Sissy, before you know it I will be home, and she curled up and started to groom herself to sleep.
"Well, don't worry. Nobody has to know you stay so late, besides, it's just to watch the novela, and then you leave. It's only two hours. Or are you afraid to drive by yourself that late. We can have our driver pick you up and take you back."she told him.
"But there's school tomorrow."
"Oh, well, it wouldn't hurt just to stay up late one night a week, would it? You can make it up with a nap, or something. I know we do. Then again, we nap every day after school, I don't know if you do."
"No, I don't"
"But you'll come? You just can't miss Alondra's wedding. The dress she wears when she marries Carlos is just beautiful. We already saw a picture of it. Not to mention all her other dresses."
"Yes, I'll come."
Ma.Xochilt put down the phone. On Sunday afternoon Sissy went to Kitty's. She searched for Kitty's homework. When she found it, she decided to hide half of it in the kitchen, where Meche kept the spices, and to tear the rest of it. This way, she'll only find out at last minute, and then she'll be forced to stay up most of the night, and finish it. This is going much better than I thought.
"What are you doing in here, Sissy? Sissy! No!"Ma.Xacinta picked Sissy up. "Sissy what have you done? That's Kitty's homework, Sissy! It's due tomorrow. Great. Don't worry, I won't say anything. We'll just get rid of the pieces of paper, and throw them away. Or I guess we can use them for scrap paper."
They watched Alondra without any disturbances, as everyone was asleep. Sissy couldn't really pay attention. She was anxious for it to end. On the commercials, she kept going back to the kitchen, to see if Kitty was still there. The dectuplets, and even Ma.Eugenia and Lance noticed that Sissy was uneasy.
"What's the matter, Sissy?"asked Ma.Xiomara.
"Nothing. I just can't lie still."
When it was finally eleven, and Alondra ended Sissy was relieved. Finally, she thought, now she must've finished the homework. They must meet on the stairs.
Just as Sissy wanted. Kitty and Lance did meet at the stairs.
"What are you doing here this late?"she asked him.
"I was watching Alondra with the dectuplets and Ma.Eugenia. They invited me to watch it with them tonight because the protagonist was getting married. So I came. It was a very nice wedding. She looked very nice in the wedding dress. You can ask them if you like."
She perfectly well he was telling the truth. Everyone knew that they stayed up late every Sunday to watch TV. They were always slower on Monday mornings, and discussing what had happened on Alondra the night before. Not to mention uneasy during Sundays because time couldn't go by faster.
However, and idea sprang to her head, there wasn't any reason why she couldn't use the fact that he was here to her advantage! That would certainly tear Ma.Eugenia. She thought she could keep him interested by inviting him to watch telenovelas with her and having her maid cook special meals for him.
"I have to talk to you,"she said. "But not here, someone might come on their way for a glass of water, or something."she said, and she took his hand and led him to where the guest rooms were. She knew no one slept here, and besides, Ma.Eugenia and the dectulets were probably still awake, only getting into their nightdresses now.
She took him into the room, and locked the door. Perfect, thought Sissy, who had turned herself insivible and had followed them. This was easier than I thought, and to think the dectuplets used to get mad because of the schedule they that novela on.