"I faxed back the paperwork this morning. Do you have it?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, but one of the board members are going to have to come down and do a case study."
"Don't bother. It happened ONCE! I'm trying to stay away from him as much as possible for the situation not to happen again. If Dan knows he is being watched, he won't pull anything. He didn't try anything when he wasn't drunk. Is there anything else that might help?"
"I'll fax over another form that might work. Its a bit more drastic, but based on what I'm hearing, it seems to be the only option."
"Thank you for your help Dean Michaels," Tibby went down to ask the hotel desk for her fax about ten minutes later, "All this god damned paperwork," she grumbled to herself as she was filling it out. It was indeed more drastic. Dean Michaels, who was a woman, sent over a form that would get Dan, who had just turned 20, in trouble for being minor in possession of alcohol. No criminal charges would be put forth, but this would be enough to get him sent home without a case study, that is if Andrew would write it up too. Andrew was the only person on the trip that actually was of drinking age. Tibby dialed up the room, "Hey. Andrew please."
"Hey," Andrew came on the line.
"Can you come over. I have new developments in the Dan case."
"Yeah. Sure," he came straight away. Tibby had the door open when he came, "Whats up?"
Tibby handed him the form, "Would you do that?" she asked, "I know Dan is your friend, but what he did to me was wrong."
"Let me think about it. I'll tell you in the morning," he shoved the paper in his back pocket, "Do you want to go get something to eat? There is a cute little frozen yogurt shop within walking distance."
"I have a boyfriend you know."
"Its just frozen yogurt, to say I'm sorry for how Dan treated you, and so you know that not all guys are like that."
"I do know all guys aren't like that. My boyfriend Brian isn't like that. But you know what? I would like some frozen yogurt, so I will take you up on your invitation."
"Great. I'll buy, just walk with me to the room so I can get my wallet."
"Just don't let Dan see that form."
>
"Carma,
I may have a break in my case against the pig. If Andrew, the only nice guy on the trip, decides to fill out a complaint form, Dan is history. I went out for frozen yogurt with Andrew to try to butter him up. I learned a lot about him. He is from California, but wanted to get as far away from his family as he could, so he decided to study film at NYU.
Isn't this the week you guys move into the hotel while they're renovating? How is that whole situation going?
Tibby."
>
"Carmen dear, are you all packed?" Lydia asked her, "We're leaving in ten minutes."
"Lydia, I think what you're doing to Krista is absurd. If you won't invite her to the hotel with us, I will."
"You can't do that!"
"Why not? Krista and I were going to share a room anyway," Carmen sassed back, "You're her mother. You are going to be a grandmother. This should be a joyous time for you and her to share."
"Its going to ruin her life. She still has to go to college."
"With your help and support, Krista can get an associates degree at the community college ten minutes away from your house. She can start winter quarter after she has the baby. Then she can transfer to a four year university."
"Its just not right. What will people say?"
"What will people say if you do not support your daughter? What will your new son think of you casting your only daughter away at the first sign of trouble? What will you say when he asks why his sister never comes over? Why she lives in a seedy apartment on the other side of town Thats right Lydia. Thats what is going to happen once Susie goes away to school. Krista is going to move into a cheap apartment with dirt and grime, and it could have rats!"
"Rats?"
"There could be rats. You never know with those cheap places. Do you really want to be the cause of all that? Don't you want to see your grandchild grow up?"
"Tell Krista to come to the hotel. I'm not happy about this, and I'll think of a more suitable punishment for withholding this from us."
"Thats the spirtit!" Carmen smiled to herself. She had really accomplished something. There was two more things she had to do, then she would have changed the Rodman/Lowell household for good, and forever, "Lydia, don't you think that Krista's baby should have a room too?" She asked, "Its not too late to change the construction plans."
"I suppose you are right."
"Great! You talk to Dad and the contractors. I'll be ready in about ten or fifteen minutes."
Carmen snuck into Krista's room and turned on the computer. She tried to get into Krista's e-mail account, but she couldn't guess the password. So she decided to have a try at the security question. The question was 'What was the name of your first pet?' that was easy. Krista had told Carmen about Sweet Cheeks the cockatoo at the beginning of the summer. "I'm in!" Carmen whispered to herself. She looked at Krista's address book. Carmen finally found a Max. Lucky for her, Krista had put all of his contact information in the address book. Carmen wrote the e-mail address and the phone number down, and vowed to call him. Then it occurred to her, she had never asked Krista if she told Max about the baby. Carmen didn't even know if Krista knew the gender of the baby. She made a mental note to ask when she next saw Krista, "Paul!" she ran into him at the bottom of the stairs while she was dragging her suitcase down the stairs, "Come on! We've got to go get Krista. Your mom said she could come back home!"
"No way!"
"Yeah, I just told her all the hypothetical horrible things that would happen to Krista if Lydia didn't take her back in."
"Great idea!"
"Dad! Lydia!" Carmen yelled to them, "They were still packing up the kitchen supplies, "Paul and I are going to go pick up Krista, we'll meet you at the hotel!"
"Okay!" her dad yelled back.
They pulled up at Susie's house. Carmen leaped out of the truck and ran to ring the door bell. Krista actually answered the door.
"I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?" Carmen said excitedly.
"The bad news."
"Your mom is formulating a new punishment for you because she wants you back in the house. That is of course after the renovations. We're on our way to the hotel. She wants you to come to the hotel with us. Your mom is also adding another nursery for your baby."
"How did this happen?"
"I guilted her. I told her you'd be living in an apartment full of rats if she didn't let you back into the house," Carmen chuckled to herself.
"You are a genius!" Krista hugged Carmen. Carmen was still in the doorway. Paul emerged into the doorway behind Carmen. Krista released Carmen and went to Paul, "I'm coming back home Paul!" she said emotionally, "I've got to tell Susie that I won't be in their hair anymore," she ran into the house, "Susie!" she yelled, "My mom is letting me home!"
Susie ran down the stairs, "Great!" she was swept up into a hug, "Lets get you all packed up. Carmen, do you want to help? Sorry Paul, I'm not allowed to have guys in my room when my mom isn't home."
"I understand," he said. He sat down on the couch.
Carmen followed the other two girls up to Susie's room, "Krista, I never asked you this. Does Max know about the baby?"
"No."
"Now that I know that, I'm going to make you tell him."
"I know."
"What is the gender of the baby?"
"Its a girl."
"Excited to get out of Susie's house?"
"I just wish we weren't moving into a hotel for two and a half weeks."
"That is a drag. Happy to get rid of her Susie?"
"Now that Krista is pregnant, she snores. So yeah, but it was nice to have her around, and be able to take care of her. Krista doesn't need to be taken care of very often."
"Thank you for that Sus," Krista smiled, "And thank your mom."
"I will."
They chatted until everything was in Krista's suitcase.
"Okay!" Carmen came dragging it down the stairs. Paul jumped up when she spoke, "We're ready to hit the road."
"Great! Can I take that?"
"Oh no, I've got it. Come on Krista!"
Krista ran as fast as she could down the stairs, "Coming!"
>
"Bee,
Lena found a guy? How exciting! I'm jealous that she met Eric. I'll have to ask her if he is as nice and hot as you say. As for your operation Billy Klein, talk about the weather, Burgess, politics. Ask him if he has seen Greta recently. Play a game, something. Thats all I've got right now.
Lydia is letting Krista come back to live with us. The house is under major renovations. There is going to be a huge balcony when its finished, and two nurseries. I just found out today that Krista is having a baby girl, and no, the father doesn't know about her yet. You know thats going to change. Hehe.
Carmen."