Max looked at what Jamie had concocted. "You are a genius!"
"I try."
"So, explain how it works."
Jamie got out his diagram. "Okay, here's the door to her hotel room. We place the bucket of honey here. The minute she opens the door, the honey is on her. Lying across the threshold is my trip wire. I've implemented a 30 second time lag, to ensure she gets a good soaking. 30 seconds, and the pillow feathers will burst out of a strategically placed container. Feathers fall down, and we have lift off." Jamie sat back, a big smile on his face. "Tarred and feathered. Just like the olden days."
Max high-fived his brother. "Let's get to work."
Catherine arched an eyebrow. "What's going on?"
Jamie turned around, the bottle of honey in his hands. "I was hungry."
"Honey?"
"Yeah. On bread."
"Oookay," Catherine replied. "But you just had breakfast."
"I know. But I'm a growing boy."
Catherine decided not to touch that. "Okay. Just put it back when you're finished."
Jamie nodded. "I will mom." He watched his mother go, then whispered. "You can come out now."
Max wriggled out from underneath a shelf in the pantry. "That was close."
"Yeah. Let's go before we have any more problems."
Max hung upside down from the roof at Sara's hotel room.
"Mom is going to kill me if you get hurt," Jamie moaned, clutching onto his brothers rope.
"That's why we've got this," Max replied, gesturing to his climbing gear. "Now stop squawking and let me do my job. And make sure no one sees us."
Jamie rolled his eyes. "You're such a bossy boots."
"Dad says I get it from Mom."
"Yeah, and then she punched him."
Max fastened the pillow. "Okay, pull me up!"
Jamie hauled and finally the boy was back on the roof next to his brother.
"The plan is ready for takeoff," Max grinned.
"He was FEELING ME UP! And they suspended ME!"
Catherine turned to her husband and shrugged. "I probably would have slugged him myself."
Lizzie pointed to her mother. "See!"
"I'm not disagreeing with you," Gil assured her. "Personally, the child should be drawn and quartered. But we have to work out this suspension. You don't really want to be suspended do you?"
"Dad, hello! Already am suspended. And no school? Why would I have a problem with that?"
Gil and Catherine looked at her.
"Well…if you put it like that."
"Okay, I'll talk to the school and see if I can work this out," Gil said, going to get the phone.
"Oh, but Dad?"
Gil turned back. "Yes, honey?"
"I am SO not apologizing!"
Max and Jamie stationed themselves in their hideout, watching as Sara came home.
"This is going to be good," Max said, rubbing his hands together. "Now we don't even have to ring the doorbell!"
Sara opened the door and a high-pitched squeal let loose as a tub full of honey cascaded down her person.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…now!" Jamie grinned, as there was a small pop, and feathers fluttered down, sticking to Sara. "That was truly beautiful."
The two boys high-fived each other.
"She looks really mad!" Max said.
"Think she'll call the cops?"
Jamie shrugged. "Probably."
"We better go. But I just have to do one more thing."
Jamie looked at his brother worriedly. "What?"
Max pulled a camera out of his backpack and took a photo. "Kodak moment."
"Isn't that mom's camera?"
Max put a finger to his lips. "Shh."
The two boys giggled, and left Sara as she danced around her verandah, trying to get the feathers off.
Gil looked up as Jamie and Max came in the front door. "Hey, how was your walk?"
"Great! I feel very refreshed," Max said, a wide grin on his face.
"I collected a bug," Jamie said, holding out a small container. "I'm just going to put it downstairs."
"Okay. Hey, how do you guys feel about cooking outside tonight?"
"Great idea, Dad! I think a little bit of the great outdoors would do everyone well," Jamie replied.
"Yeah. Maybe we can even have HONEY CHICKEN," Max suggested.
Gil watched curiously as the two boys convulsed into giggles and went downstairs.
Catherine turned around as Gil came into the kitchen. "So?"
"Lizzie is suspended only for Monday. We had a long talk, and the boy has been suspended as well."
"Good. She's twelve. I refuse to allow any boy to feel her up."
Gil walked behind her, his hands traveling up the front of her shirt to rest on her breasts. "But I'm allowed to feel you up, right?"
A slow smile spread across Catherine's face. "I'd be worried if you didn't. But you better behave yourself. I don't know that the kids would react well to seeing their dad with his hands up mommy's shirt."
"True," Gil murmured, his hands resting around her waist again. "By the way, I think Jamie and Max are up to something."
"They're always up to something," Catherine replied, leaning back into his embrace. "Are you going to man the grill tonight?"
Gil smiled. "I will indeed."
Catherine turned around in his arms, her hands going around his neck. "Have I told you recently how grateful I am to you?"
Gil looked down at her. "For what?"
"Yesterday. On the stand." She smiled. "I was so proud of you."
"I didn't do anything special."
"Yes, you did. We don't talk a lot about what happened back then, but you were amazing, Gil. When I needed you back then, you were there." She leant up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I'll always be grateful for that."
Gil smiled at her, kissing her back. "I'll always be grateful for you. And Lindsey. And Matt. And Lizzie. And Jamie. And Max." He kissed her once more. "But especially for you."
Catherine smiled back at him, before leaning up and kissing him, deepening it instantly. Gil held her tight to him, her body flush against his as they kissed.
"Uh, guys?" came Lizzie's voice.
"No, we're not going to stop just because it's gross," Catherine murmured, kissing Gil again.
Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But that psycho lady is ranting down our telephone."
"Hang up," Gil replied, lifting Catherine into his arms to take her upstairs.
"She said something about honey and feathers and then Max's name."
Gil froze. "Honey chicken."
"Huh?" Catherine blinked, looking up at him.
"Max and Jamie. They wanted honey chicken for dinner tonight."
Catherine frowned as she slid down from his embrace. "Lizzie, honey? Give me the phone and go and find Jamie and Max, okay?"
Lizzie nodded and handed over the phone, only to find Gil taking it.
"Gil," Catherine growled.
"I'm not letting her upset you," he replied. "Hello?"
"YOUR CHILDREN ARE MONSTERS! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!"
"Sara, first of all, as I stated in court, I did have my hearing fixed and I'm not losing it anymore. Secondly, you're not supposed to have contact with this family. And thirdly, do not call my children monsters."
"THEY DUMPED HONEY AND FEATHERS ON ME!"
"Did you see them?"
"No," came the quiet voice.
"Then don't accuse my family of anything," Gil said firmly. "Goodbye Sara."
He turned to face Catherine, who stood there with a guilty looking Jamie and Max standing in front of her.
Max grinned guiltily and handed over a picture. "Souvenir?"