Hi! Remember me, Ann Fan? Oh I'm so sorry I haven't updated:'(. Please forgive me. Uh, Thanks a million for reviewing LCDM, DrippingInk and Lightning-Dono, and yes, LCDM, Aaron is eight. Okay no more further delaying. Here's chapter ten.
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Chapter Ten-Michelle's Request"You're p-pregnant!" Rick stumbled as he fell back in his chair. "By me!"
"No Rick, the wizard of Oz. Of course by you!" Karen joked sarcastically. "Now please don't hurt yourself, honey."
"Well, I believe you now because your moodiness has already set in. You were just like this when you were pregnant with Nikki. One minute you'd be irate and the next you'd be angelic."
"Oh quit!" she replied giving her husband a playful punch on the shoulder good-naturedly. Then at that moment excitement completely occupied the room. Karen lifted Rick to his feet and they began to dance wildly as Lillia exuberantly began singing. Nikki and Danny joined in the ecstatic rejoicing by joining hands and jumping up and down in gleeful unison.
"Yay! I'm gonna be a big sister!" Nikki shrieked joyously.
"And I'm gonna be…a big cousin twice!" Danny added excitedly. It took about fifteen minutes for everyone to completely contain his or her unbridled spirit.
"Okay," Rick began but had to stop to take a much-needed breath, "Nikki, Danny you'd better go feed the chickens and then it's off to bed. Both kids immediately nodded and ran out the door to do their chore.
"I can't believe Aunt Karen is gonna have a baby," Danny euphorically expressed as he poured out the chicken feed. In fact he was so euphoric he didn't even notice that he was actually pouring half the bag out.
"Danny!" Nikki scolded pushing the bag upright. "You're wasting precious chicken feed!" He suddenly glanced down at his feet to find hills of chicken feed covering them.
"Oh man!" He swiftly dropped to his knees and shoveled the chicken feed back into the bag with his hands until he'd transferred almost all of it back into the burlap sack. "I'm gonna go to the library tomorrow and tell Michelle and Mary…say Nikki, you wouldn't want to come along, would you? Aaron just might be there. After all his mom is the librarian." Danny's offer triggered Nikki to smile gratefully.
"Really?"
"Sure, why not? You might be annoying, but you're still my cousin…and besides we have a truce anyway."
"Uh huh!"
"Well that sounds fine. We'd better get to bed now."
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Danny woke up to a flamboyant Saturday morning. He could just sense that it was going to be an eventful and fantastic day as he went out to feed the chickens. Suddenly Nikki popped out from behind the hothouse.
"Hello, dearest Danny," she greeted overly cheerful, "so how are the little angels today?"
"Excuse me," Danny began while fighting desperately to keep from laughing hysterically, "…but are you referring to the chickens?"
"What else would I be referring to other than you, dearest Danny?"
"Okay," he began again returning to a serious tone, "cut it out! You're scaring me… Now what do you want, nefarious Nikki?" A sharp stare from his cousin instantly pierced Danny's insult.
"Well…Jackie said that she heard that Emily heard that Jared said that Mitch heard that Aaron said he likes me!"
"Woe, woe, woe! What does all this have to do with me!"
"Well…I was thinking that…maybe you could ask Michelle…"
"No! Or as they say in Spain…no!"
"Why not!"
"Because I'm not going to take advantage of the only friend I have just for a stupid confirmation of some petty gossip! For heaven's sakes, Nikki can't you see he's already head-over-heels for you!" Nikki looked as if she'd just been struck by lightning.
"Really?"
"Of course! And even if he didn't you've got years to convince him! Just slow down." Then all of a sudden Nikki impulsively trapped her cousin in an appreciative hug, which was the last thing he'd expected. "Okay, okay…so you still want to go to the library?" After Nikki's simple nod they were off to Mary's Library.
"Mary? Michelle?" Danny called as he and Nikki entered the library. A very sleek and unshaken Aaron immediately answered his call.
"Hi Danny," Aaron expressed with a very flat, bland tone, which instantly changed when Nikki caught his eye, "Oh! Hello Miss Nikki!" He then took a very prince-like bow.
"Oh please," Danny replied while smacking his hand to his forehead and shaking his head doubtfully.
"Remember the truce," Nikki indignantly whispered into Danny's ear as she sharply poked him in the back, which Aaron took no notice of whatsoever. Danny quickly shrugged off his thoughts as Nikki and Aaron's little escapade continued in a mannerly fashion.
"So you're looking for my mom and sister?" Aaron questioned to Nikki.
"Oh no, Danny is."
"Well, they're on the second floor. Say Nikki, shall I show you one of my personally favorite books?" Nikki nodded like a child at Christmas as Danny made his way upstairs.
"Hi Danny," Michelle swimmingly chimed before Danny had the chance to reach the second floor. "Come on up! You can keep me and Mom and me company since Aaron is too busy talking to Nikki."
"Hey I've got some good news for both of you!" he directed his statement to both Michelle and Mary. "My Aunt Karen is pregnant!"
"Oh that's nice to hear, Danny!" Mary favorably replied. "I'll have to pay her a visit sometime soon."
"Yeah that does sound real exciting!" Michelle remarked to her friend excitedly. "Uh, say Danny…um, could I speak to you in private?" Suddenly Danny found himself being thrust into the upstairs room connected to the library. "Gee this is so embarrassing but…well, I'm scheduled to get my tonsils taken out today at the clinic…and to tell the truth…I'm really scared…so would you um, just go to the clinic with me?" Danny simply stood there completely dumbfounded by his friend's bizarre request, but she immediately clarified it. "Oh you don't have to go in the room with me or anything, but I'd feel a lot better if you saw me off there…"
"Well okay, I guess," he replied still dazed from Michelle's panic attack.
"Oh Danny, you're the best friend I ever had!" she squealed delighted as she trapped her only friend in a quick hug. Wow, Danny thought to himself, two hugs in one day! I must be doing well. So Danny and Michelle made their way to the clinic. "So about your aunt, do you know anything yet?"
"Nothing except the fact that she's pregnant. We just found out yesterday."
"Gee that's so exciting… I wish I had a little brother or sister. Aaron bosses me around all the time just because he's older." As they stopped at the entrance to the clinic, Michelle placed her hand on the doorknob to find that Danny was already onto it and opening the door for her. "Well, here goes. Wish me luck." Danny nodded enthusiastically as he gave his friend a hopeful thumbs-up. Michelle then walked into the hospital where a nonchalant Elli greeted her.
"H-hi Elli," Michelle nervously replied while shaking helplessly. Elli quickly caught onto the little girl's fear, and was quick to comfort her.
"It's alright, Michelle," Elli began with knowing eyes. "You're not going to feel it. We'll put you to sleep with some drugs, and when you wake up it'll all be done. You might feel sore afterwards, but we'll give you something to ease the pain, okay?" Michelle nodded and followed the kind nurse into the operating room. The doctor with hisincessant bland expression explained everything that Elli had a few minutes ago and then put the mask on Michelle that would act as a canal for the drug to ease her into a deep slumber.
"That was very kind to accompany her here, Danny," Elli stated, pleased. "You're a good kid despite…" Danny knew precisely how she'd meant to end that sentence, but he only nodded politely. "Uhhh, please excuse me." Suddenly two voices meandered into Danny's ears, and he quickly realized that they belonged to the doctor and his son, Jared. They were lucidly discussing medical subjects and such, but Danny could easily comply that their very stern voices only masked sheer enjoyment. This sent a twinge of jealousy through him. Why couldn't he have a caring father? And after that thought, Danny began to make his way to the door, but an obstacle suddenly appeared…or greeted rather.
"Hey son!" Danny stopped dead in his tracks. It was beyond a shadow of a doubt that the occupant of the voice was his malign father, Kai. "You seem to be avoiding me." Stiffly rooted in place, Danny raised his almond brown eyes to him.
"What do you want?" he demanded trying to contain himself.
"Oh, you know what I want."
"You already know my answer to that…and that's the bottom line!" Then a ghastly moment seized Danny's soul as Kai leaned extremely close toDanny's ear so that not a single person but Danny would hear what he muttered next with rabid intesity.
"You best be careful, son. Your mother's fate rests within your puny hands."
Yes, done! Wow, what a chapter! Well, adieu.