Disclaimer: See chapter 2
Chapter 3- Ron and Raina
"MOOOOOOM!!" came a cry from a twelve year old girl. "MOOOOOOM, I CAN'T FIND MY SCIENCE BOOK!!!"
This was Raina, a girl with rich reddish brown hair, and a slightly high pitched voice. A woman with similar hair color and voice tone briskly walked into the room looking frustrated.
"Weren't you supposed to turn in all your text books last week?" Rahne asked accusingly.
"Yeah, but I lost it, and today's the last day of school," she explained in a pleading manner. "If I don't turn it in by today, they won't mail my last report card."
"I know, I know." she sighed, already so fed up with middle school she could scream. "I'll go get your brother and see if we can find it."
She then opened the front door and bellowed, "RON! COME HERE RIGHT NOW, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME WITH SOMETHING!"
Then a small wolf bounded in the door, with the newspaper hanging from his mouth. (The mail was bundled up inside the paper). He was pure black from nose to tail tip, and had black eyes that shined brightly.
"With what?" asked a deeper voice, coming from a man that had come around the corner.
"Science book, Roberto." answered Rahne, as Raina explained to her brother what they were looking for.
"Think you can find it?" inquired Raina to her dark haired brother.
"Sure." he replied, "I'll never forget that smell." Ron was thirteen, so he had had the same science book the year before. He then shuddered and said, "Mr. Gibson."
Raina giggled as she thought of the teacher that the students had nicknamed "The Tormentor."
Then she saw two wolves sniffing for the lost book, the black one that was her brother and a reddish brown one that was her mother. She followed the two up stairs, then down stairs, through the living room, the dining room, and halfway up the stairs again. Raina was starting to lose hope, when Ron stuck his nose in the air and dashed to the kitchen. Then he ran over to the refrigerator. Then he jumped up and down on his hind legs indicating the freezer. Raina gave him a puzzled look, and then opened the freezer. Sure enough, the book was lying on the top shelf.
"Whew," Raina sighed in relief, "Thanks Ron."
"No problem," answered Ron as he sat next to his father at the table.
Roberto then began laughing uproariously.
"Oh, c'mon Dad, it wasn't that funny," Raina frowned at her father.
"Yes, it was." He gasped, continuing to laugh uncontrollably. "This happens every year. Last year, we found Ron's math book in the hamster cage."
"Yeah, and then we had to pay for it, because Sammy turned it into a litter box." Rahne said, remarking on what the hamster's plans had been for the book.
"Well, at least we don't have to pay for this one." Raina spoke, trying to get her mother's mind off this touchy subject.
"We will if you don't watch what you're doing with that orange juice." Rahne reprimanded, pointing to a bowl of cereal that Raina was tipping dangerously.
As she righted the bowl, Raina looked at her mother as if to say, "What in the world are you talking about?" and then remarked,
"Mom, this is milk in the cereal, not orange juice."
"Wanna bet?" her mother challenged.
Raina rolled her eyes and took a bite of her cereal. Then she stopped. It had been orange juice she had poured into her cereal. Good thing she hadn't challenged her mother to a bet, because Rhane would definitely make Raina pay up if she lost. Roberto and Ron then burst out laughing when they saw the disgusted look on Raina's face. As Raina stood up to throw away the now orange cereal, Ron said,
"Don't, I'll eat it!"
Rahne and Raina both looked horrified, while Roberto laughed even harder, if that was possible.
"It's just one of those days, Rahne." Roberto said when he saw her with her hand over her eyes as if she was afraid to look at what was going on now.
Rahne shook her head as she walked up to the newspaper that Ron had left on the floor. She then saw that Ron had destroyed the front page, again.
"Eeeew, Ron! You messed up the front page!" Rahne complained as she brought the mail out of the slobbery paper.
"Again?!?" Roberto asked as his wife threw out the newspaper's first page. "Ron, next time, if you go and get the paper use your hands."
"Dad, everyone in the neighborhood knows this family's a mutant one." Ron explained uncomfortably. "So if I get the mail as the wolf, they just think I'm the family pet, and –"
"And you're saved the insults." Rahne finished, her eyes softening as her son's eyes studied the floor.
"That's okay, I'll just get the mail from now on." Roberto said, putting his hand on Ron's shoulder.
Ron looked relieved at this and continued eating his orange cereal.
"Yeah, cause Dad can give 'em the birdie and go about his business." Raina commented, trying to lighten up the mood.
"Raina!" Rahne snapped, looking directly at Roberto, "we do not give anyone the birdie."
Rahne focused on the mail that, thankfully, hadn't experienced the wrath of Ron's teeth.
"Roberto, do you mind paying the water bill on the way home from work?" Rahne asked, flinging an envelope at her husband.
"Sure." said Roberto as he folded it and stuffed it into his pocket.
"And kids, I think I hear Elizabeth and Michael." Rahne said
Ron sniffed the air and said, "Yup, it's them."
Elizabeth and Michael were the kids' only friends, and the four walked together to the bus stop every day.
"Bye," the two chorused as they grabbed what little things they needed for the final day of school and headed for the door.
When the kids had gone, Roberto noticed an envelope that Rahne had dropped. As he saw the stationary and the calligraphy, he said,
"Rahne, look at this."
She bent over Roberto as he opened the letter.
They both smiled as they saw what the invitation read.
"I was just thinking about that place, when I'd see it again."
"Well, here's your chance." Rahne grinned.