Chapter 3- Mall Wars
Point Place, Wisconsin
September 4, 2003
6:30 p.m.
Forman Kitchen
The Forman's kitchen hadn't changed much since Red and Kitty Forman had lived in the house. The only real difference was that the kitchen had been painted an airy blue and a wooden table had taken the place of the other table. The meals were also better. Not so much because of the cooking, but because no one ever got yelled at during a meal. Eric always made it a point to not yell at his kids during a meal. In fact, the Forman meals were usually filled with talking, laugher, and debates about which superhero could beat up which superhero.
Eric, who at forty-three, had finally grown into his body. He was still tall and sort of skinny, but it looked good on him. His hair was slowly turning a gray color, but he didn't mind. As he often told Red, he still had hair and that was what counted. Donna, also forty-three, still looked the same as she had in high school. The only real difference was that her hair was shorter and she had a more "business" air about her.
At dinner that fall night, the Forman family wasn't talking about anything in particular. The conversation bounced back and forth. From the latest X-Men comic, to the whole thing in the Middle East, to what stupid thing Holder did that day in school, to what stupid thing Kelso had done in school back in the '70s.
The meal was nearly over, Donna could tell because of the way Parker was glancing toward the door to the basement. He really wanted to get back down there. He had mentioned to her that Chase had said she'd drop by after dinner. Her little boy, in love. It reminded her of Eric when he had been sixteen. So cute. Donna cleared her throat and looked over at Eric, he nodded.
"Your mom and I have something very cool and important to tell you guys." Eric told the teens.
"Your having a baby?" Parker guessed.
"We're getting a puppy?" Was Vista's excited guess.
"No," Donna began.
"Oh, we're going to Disneyland?" Parker asked.
"We're finally getting a swimming pool?"
"No," Eric told them. "uh, Donna,"
"The paper invited me to do a piece on the new mall opening in Milwaukee. I'll get to interview the owners of some of the worlds leading store chains." Donna told her kids with a smile. It wasn't the biggest thing the paper had ever asked her to do, but it was still sort of cool.
"My news is better." Eric said before anyone could say anything. Donna glared at her husband, but he ignored her. "You know my latest novel, right. Number one on the best sellers list, seven weeks in a row, thank you very much. Anyway, I've been invited to the sci-fi con. in Madison!"
"Whoa, Dad. That's totally great!" Parker couldn't help but be happy. "But wait, that means you guys will be at different things at the same time?" His parents nodded. "Okay, sorry Mom, but I want to go with Dad."
"Ok, that's the thing." Eric looked at Donna then at the kids. "Both things are tomorrow through Sunday and we each got four tickets, and it's going to be really hard 'cause your Mom and I have never gone on separate trips since we got married and that's twenty-two years. That's a long time." Donna gave him a 'get-on-with-it' look. "Right, so we decided that you guys could chose who you want to go with and you can each invite two friends."
"I'm going with you, Dad."
Vista gave her father an sorry look. "Sorry Daddy, but those sci-fi people scare me. I'm going with Mom."
Donna nodded. "Yeah, we pretty much figured that." She leaned back and looked out into the driveway. "Hey, Chase is here. One of you should-" she was cut off by Parker clumsily running out of the house. "Huh, he's pretty fast."
"He gets that from me, you know." Eric informed them.
Donna cracked a smile. "Yeah, cause you were always running from bullies."
*
Outside in the driveway, Parker nearly ran into Chase, who put a hand up to stop him from crashing into her.
He gasped a little. "Hey, Chase, didn't see you there. How are you?" He was trying to sound suave, but he was coming off as not so suave.
"Uh," Chase looked a little confused. "good. You saw me thirty minutes ago, Park. I haven't changed much mood wise since then." she looked past him and at the sliding door. His family was pretending to do the dishes, but it would have worked better if they had been washing dishes. "What's up?"
"My Dad," he looked behind him and gave his family a look. They pretended not to see it. "he got tickets to the sci-fi con. in Madison this weekend. I can invite two friends and I thought I'd ask you. So, you want to go to a sci-fi con this weekend?"
The Forman family were now leaning over the contour, waiting for the answer. Chase felt like she was in court or something. "A sci-fi con in Madison?" It wasn't really her thing. But, she liked Parker and maybe a whole weekend with him would get him to finally make a move. "Yeah, okay. I'd just have to ask my Mom, but she'll say yes."
Parker gave her his goofy grin. "Great! I mean, that's cool." He looked back at the sliding doors, his family was standing there, all smiling and talking. "We should go down to the basement before they come out here."
"Oh yeah," They headed to the basement.
*
Thirty minutes later, everyone hung in the basement and watched NBC's must see line up. Jon was in his usual chair, Holder was in the other chair. Chase, Parker, and Vista sat on the sofa, while Pez sat on the arm nearest Holder. They watched the cast of 'Friends' get into some silly sitch or another. As they watched, Parker and Vista filled them in on the trips and how Vista could invite two of them and Parker could invite one more.
An ad for the newest action movie came on the screen and Pez spoke her mind. "They always blow things up. They'd make sure more money, if they got boys to take their clothes off, ohh and if there was more candy." Everyone just looked at her. "Oh, fine give me looks." she shrugged and everything was forgotten. "Vista, I'd like to go to Madison with you."
Holder made his girly noise. "No. NO! Pez, I want to go with Parker and Chase. We always go on trips together. You can't break us up. That's like breaking up Sonny and Cher."
Parker laughed a little. "Holder, you do know they haven't been together in over twenty years. Plus, he's dead."
Holder just glared at Parker. He stood up and went around the sofa and to Pez. "Fine then, it's like breaking up the Three Musketeers."
"Who there were three of." Jon remarked.
"Damn Jon, I'm trying to make a point."
"Yes," Pez nodded a little. "the point has been noted. But, you really should learn to live without me, my friend. You're a little obsessive when it comes to the Pez."
Holder scoffed. "You think I'm obsessed with you? Ok, if always wanting to be in the same class, always wanting to know where you are, doing everything with you, and getting upset when other people talk to you, then yeah, color me obsessed." Everyone looked at Holder. Pez got up and moved to the other side of Jon's chair. Holder looked around. He could feel himself blush. "Damn it!" Without looking back, he quickly ran up the stairs.
"Don't worry, man. I'll go with you Vista and Chase and Parker can have the obsessive freak."
"Uh, why do we have to have the weirdo?" Chase questioned.
"Because you're going to spend the whole weekend with weirdoes! Now, let's forget about that and get back to the whole Ross/Rachael/Joey triangle of fun." He chuckled. "God, I love these things. So much pain. It's really funny."
*
The next day, everyone met in the Forman driveway. Eric, Parker, Chase, and Holder would take the car and Donna, Vista, Jon, and Pez would take the jeep. They were all going to leave at seven in the morning and at six-fifty they were just waiting for Holder. Donna and Eric used the ten minutes to go over a few things, strangely in their bedroom. This left the teens to finish packing the car and jeep.
Parker put the last bag in the trunk of the car and closed the trunk door. "Done, now we just have to wait for Holder. I really hope he doesn't bring down the weekend."
"Yeah, I bet he'll be all moody because Pez isn't with him." Chase thought out loud as she leaned against the car with Parker.
From the lawn chair on the porch, Jon nodded in agreement. Holder really had to get over his whole "Pez lovin" thing.
Vista and Pez walked out of the kitchen and closed the sliding door behind them. Pez went straight to the other lawn chair and Vista hopped up on the railing beside the chairs.
"So," Pez begin. "what did we miss?"
"We all think Holder's going to be a downer this weekend." Parker informed his friend. "You know, cause you won't be at the con."
Pez thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Yes, yes he will. He will miss me and he will bring the whole geek-fest down." She and Jon exchanged a high-five. "That is the curse we born of the Fez bear."
"Guys!" Holder came running up to the driveway, his backpack knocking against his back and butt. "Sorry I'm late. My Dad bought a new club house for Bruce and Vi." he shook his head and laughed to himself. "It's a great club house. It's got this kick-ass fake kitchen. I really thought the stove was on, man!" Everyone just looked at him. "Oh, come on, you all know you would have played in it if you had the chance." Everyone paused to think about it and then they all gave agreement. "Yeah, so are we going?' Cause I'm thinkin' this sci-fi thing will have tons of chicks. I'm looking to finally get some real action, you know what I mean. I'm seventeen and I'm just waitin' to get out there." He looked at Pez. "Because I'm not obsessed with you."
Pez chuckled softly. "No, no, buddy. I know your not." She leaned over and whispered to Vista. "So clearly living a lie. It's sad."
Vista just nodded before hopping off the railing. She opened the sliding door and yelled inside. "Mom, Daddy, Holder's here!"
A few minutes later, Donna and Eric walked into the driveway. The teens all held back giggles and tried not to look at them. No one had it in them to tell Donna that her shirt was on backward or to tell Eric that his pants were unzipped.
*
Twenty minutes later, Donna and her group of teens were on the road to Milwaukee. Donna drove and Vista sat in the front with her. Jon and Pez sat in the backseat. The radio was on a classic rock station. The Forman women sang along to Tom Petty's "American Girl".
As the song ended, Donna looked back at Jon. He was such a handsome boy, but he dressed like he just rolled out of bed. Donna was often forced to listen to his mother complain about how she had such a handsome son but how he dressed so badly. Jon's mother was known for saying, "He got my great eyes, my hair, all my best stuff, but he dresses like his father." Donna smiled at Jon. "So, Jon, I won't think you'd want to go to a mall. What gives?"
Jon shrugged a little. "I want to try to talk to those store owners. You do know that they make people want to buy crap just so they can take trips to Mexico. I really want to tell them something." He looked out the window. "Plus, my Mom and sister want me to check out the shoe and clothing stores and report back." He muttered that last part.
Donna nodded. "I see. But, Jon if you do anything to those store owners, I'm not bailing you out." She looked at Pez. "What about you, Pez? You want to see the candy and toy stores, right?"
Pez nodded happily. "Yes! They have six candy stores and four toy stores." She smiled that dreamy smile she used when she was thinking about something she loved. "The mall we have only has three candy stores and two toy stores. This new mall has 50% more stuff that I want to see. It's going to be very fun. I plan to eat a lot of candy. I also plan to become very sick from all the candy."
Donna made an 'eww' face. "Try not to get sick in the jeep, okay?" Pez nodded. Donna smiled a little before making a left turn.
*
When Eric had started the "Wasteland" series, he had done it as more of a hobby, a way to fill time when he wasn't working. He had never thought the adventures and misadventures of seven teens, fighting for freedom in a war torn galaxy, to sell the way it did. The five books in the "Wasteland" series were being compared to "Star Wars" and one report for The New York Times had even called Eric's books: "Fun, dark, sexy, slightly scary, and way cooler then anything you've ever read." The series was going to be seven books long, with book six coming out in October. Eric couldn't be happier.
Eric and Parker Forman sat in the front seats of the Forman family car and talked about the sci-fi con in excited whispers. "Is it true that the guy who played R2D2 is going to be there?" Parker asked his dad.
"Yeah and I heard that Mark Miller is going to be two tables down from me!" Eric told his son happily. "Mark Millar. Man, I'm hitting the big time."
"Mark Millar? Ex- author of the Ultimate X-Men comics?" Eric nodded as Parker patted him on the shoulder. "You are hitting the big time, Dad."
In the back of the car, Holder and Chase sat. They weren't really sure why it was a big deal that Mark Miller or the guy that played R2D2 were going to be at the con, but they weren't about to say anything.
Holder looked out his window, a little sad. He missed Pez. It had only been twenty minutes, but he missed her. Missed not being able to go to her house or go to the basement or Hub with her. Chase sat back in her seat, Parker hadn't spoken to her once since they got in the car. She looked at him and Eric, both talking about some new video game or something. She glanced over at a brooding Holder. Man, it was going to be a loong weekend.
*
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
September 5, 2003
5:00 p.m.
The Mall of Milwaukee
The Mall of Milwaukee would be opened to the public the next morning, but from five to ten, the mall was open to journalist and their guest. Donna had a thirty minute q and a session with some of the store owners, so the teens were on their own. That was just fine by them. Pez wanted to check out the candy and toy stores, Jon wanted to try and get the shoe and clothing store thing over with, and Vista just wanted a chance to wonder around the huge mall.
The three of them walked around the mall. Each looked around a little or stopped to get a closer look at something, but that was about it. They had five hours to roam around the three story, 170 store mall-they weren't in a rush. Vista had figured out that there were fifty-six stores pre floor, roughly. Which meant that roughly they could look at eleven point two stores an hour. And with most of the stores only being so big and because of the fact that twenty of the stores sold food and because they had the whole weekend, well they all decided that they could just hang around and not worry about missing a store.
By a large indoor water fall, a piano was being played. A man in his early to mid twenties sat in a black suit and played the piano for the journalist and their guest. Vista looked toward the piano and stopped dead in her tracks. He was playing it! He was playing the opening notes of her favorite piece. She stared at him, caught up in it. Without thinking, Vista started walking toward the piano.
"Vista?" Jon's voice called from behind her. "Where are you going?"
She turned around. "He's playing it. He's playing my favorite piece. You guys go look at the shoe stores or something. I'll see you later." she waved a hand to dismiss them and went on her way.
"Maybe we shouldn't leave her here by herself. Perverts and all." Pez thought out loud.
Jon just shrugged. "It's cool. There's a candy store a couple of stores down. She can feel all grown up and we can keep our eyes on her." He lead her toward the candy store.
*
Vista walked up to the piano and its player. Getting closer allowed Vista to get a closer look at the man playing the piano. He would have been tall if he had been standing and he was slightly thin, but in a good way. The man was good looking, with neat brown hair and deep brown eyes. He was handsome, there was no getting around it. He looked up at her and smile.
"Your playing my favorite." Vista told him.
"Really? It's my favorite. " He finished the piece and stuck out his hand. "Mark, Mark Pascal."
Vista took his hand and shook it as firmly as she could. Red always told her a firm handshake was a good way to say hello to someone new. Let them know you weren't an idiot. "Vista Forman." He raised his right eyebrow at her name. "I was named after a car." She blushed a little, it was a little strange.
Mark laughed. He laughed at that fact. "A car? You must have very cool parents. I was named after a dead uncle that nobody liked." He let her hand full gracefully out of his. "I have a ten minute break in an hour. Want to sit with me till then?"
Vista smiled shyly and sat on the offered part of his bench. "I'd like that."
*
Madison, Wisconsin
September 5, 2003
5:00 p.m.
The Hotel of the Sci-fi Con
Eric had a meeting with the other people that would be apart of the whole sci-fi con that weekend, so the kids had been left in the room. Holder had planted himself in a chair, grabbed the remote, and turned on the television. Parker and Chase had offered to take him to look for girls around the hotel, but he had told them that it wasn't the same without his little Pezzy. So, Parker and Chase went into the hallway and sat on the flower print sofa.
"Okay, I know we were just teasing him the other day, but I think he's really upset." Parker said as they sat down. "Poor guy really misses her."
"Yeah, guess he really likes her." Chase gave Parker a pointed look, but he didn't get it.
"They are best friends. And their fathers are best friends. Plus, they're parents do a lot of stuff together."
"Parker, your best friend is Jon and his parents are best friends with your parents, but you don't get all broody when Jon isn't around."
"I hide the pain well." Parker answered with a playful grin. Chase hit him in the arm. "Ow, watch it." He turned his body a little more so he could face her better. He had a look on his face. One of those looks he got when he was teasing someone. "You are freakishly strong." They smiled and Parker knew he should take that time to do it. He leaned in to her. He could smell her hair, it smelt like strawberry. Her eyes were closed, she was waiting. Every part of him told him to do it. Parker leaned in a little more and...
"Parker?! Chase? Where are you guys?" Holder's voice asked as their hotel room door opened.
Damn it to hell!
Chase was off the sofa before Parker could blink. Parker glared evilly at Holder. "What?"
The handsome boy shrugged a little and gave them puppy dog eyes. "I got lonely." Parker groaned unhappily.
*
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Mall of Milwaukee
Pez stood in front of a teenage boy who worked at the candy store she and Jon were in. "Yes, I would like that candy." she pointed to a yellow and pink candy behind some glass. "But, just the pink. The yellow taste like lemons. I make faces when I eat it. Candy is supposed to be enjoyed, you know."
The guy nodded and opened the glass box. He pulled some on the candy out for her and put it in a bag. Handing it to her he said. "I've never heard someone who had a whole thing about candy. It's like you, I don't know, are in love with it." Both he and Pez laughed. "I'm a huge candy person, but I've never met someone who loved it more then me. I'm Charlie."
"Pez."
"Great to met you, Pez. You have a killer name."
*
Jon stood a few feet away, pretending to look at some candy with his left eye and pretending not to watch Vista with his right eye. Pez was on the way to flirting with that Charlie guy and Vista was making eyes at the piano guy. Great, he really didn't need to deal with two love sick girls. He looked over at Pez, it looked like she and the Charlie guy were exchanging information. Jon rolled his eyes before looking back at Vista, she and piano guy were getting up and walking away. Great. "Pez, I'll..." she wasn't even listening. "whatever." He left the store and jogged over to Vista.
"Vista!" Jon's voice called out across the first floor of the mall. Vista and Mark turned around and looked at him, as did a handful of people. "Where are you going?"
Vista gave him a 'please-don't-be-all-big-brother' look. "I'm going to the food court with Mark." she nodded at the older man. "This is Mark Pascal. Mark Pascal, this is my neighbor and friend, Jon Hyde." Jon's face said it all, he didn't want her going off with some older guy she had just met. "It's okay, Mom stopped by a few minutes ago, she was cool with it." Okay, so it was a lie, but she liked this guy and Jon wasn't going to get in the way.
"Yeah, see I think-" Jon was cut off by Donna, who came walking over.
"Hey, kids."
Vista and Mark turned around and both smiled. "Mom, this is Mark Pascal. Mark, this is my mother, Donna Forman."
"Pleasure, Mrs. Forman. Vista has been telling me so much about you. " Mark gave Donna a charming smile. "It turns out that Vista and I have a lot in common."
"Oh?" Donna raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, we're both huge fans of your freelance work, for starters." Donna smiled.
Jon rolled his eyes. Women. He turned back to the candy store, but Pez was busy flirting with three guys that worked there. With a sigh, Jon turned and went in search of a shoe or clothing store.
*
Madison, Wisconsin
The Hotel of the Sci-fi Con
The night before had been awful for Parker Forman. He had spent the whole night trying to get away from Holder, but he had had no luck. Holder spent the whole night crying about missing Pez and wondering what she was up to. All Parker had wanted was to go to the room next room and try to kiss Chase. Why couldn't he catch a break?
But things were looking up. Holder had gone off to look for girls, Eric was signing copies of his book, which meant Parker and Chase were along together.
The two sixteen year olds leaned against a wall and watched all the people walk past them. There were people dressed up as characters from comics, movies, and even books as well as people dressed in their street clothes. Parker noticed that a guy dressed as Yoda kept looking their way.
"That Yoda guy keeps looking at us." Parker said.
"Yeah," Chase looked away from the Yoda guy. "he keeps following me. He calls himself 'Yoda drinkie guy.' " Parker gave her a raised eyebrow. Chase sighed. "He asked to buy me a drink three hours ago, so I let him get me a juice and he's been following me since. It's really scary."
Parker laughed. "You let a guy in a Yoda outfit buy you a drink? Oh, you so deserve this one, lady." He gestured toward the guy. "You *never* let a guy in an outfit that detailed buy you a drink. First rule of a con, baby."
Chase looked nervously at Parker. "So, he'll follow me the whole weekend?" Parker nodded. "Crap."
Parker noticed Holder walking toward them. "Don't look now but it's about to get worse." Holder marched right up to Parker and grabbed him in a huge bear hug. "What's wrong, buddy?" He tried to get out of the hug, but couldn't.
"I..I.." Holder let go of Parker and hugged Chase, taking a second before going on. "I saw this girl dressed as Princess Leia, she was hot. But, then I remember when we were kids and you made Pez dress as Leia when we'd play "Star Wars". And that made me sad."
Chase gently let Holder go. "Wow, that's really sad. Mostly that you'd all play "Star Wars", but that's something we can talk about later." She looked over and saw the Yoda guy walking over. "And now I have to go. Bye!" She quickly walked toward the ladies room.
Holder and Parker watched the Yoda guy follow her.
Holder sniffed a little. "I miss Pez. Think she's having fun without me?"
"No, I'm sure she's just as sad as you are."
*
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Mall of Milwaukee
Pez stood in the middle of a crowd of boys that same afternoon. She was having a great time at the public opening of the mall. It turned out that she was very charming and a little sluty when Holder wasn't around. "I told them that it was not me, but it was." Pez finished her story and everyone laughed a little. "Yes, it was very funny." Pez flipped her dark hair over her right shoulder. She scanned the ten guys that were gathered around her and wondered if they were any good at kissing. Her gaze landed on Charlie, the guy from the candy store. "Charlie and I were at the candy store last night and we both agree that yellow candy taste like lemon. My father says my mother's lips taste a little like lemon, but I think my lips taste like another flavor. Too bad no one can tell me." she pouted a little. "Unless, someone here-"
*
Jon sat at a table a few feet away and ate his burger. This weekend was turning out to be a total bust. First, he hadn't been able to see the store owners, then the three people he came with all ended up way to busy for him. Donna was off doing paper junk, Pez was flirting with every guy that pasted her, and Vista...she was nowhere to be found. Jon guessed she was with the piano guy. He took another bite of his burger and checked his watch:2:56. Great, they had seven more hours before the mall closed. What was he going to do for seven hours.
The sound of giggles caught his ear, Jon turned to see four giggling sixteen and seventeen year old girls sitting at the table next to him. They seemed a little preppy and even a little slutty. They all looked up at him and one of them winked. Jon stood up and moved over to their table. Now he had somethings to do for the next seven hours.
*
Vista and Mark had wanted to get away from all the people at the mall's opening, so they ended up sitting side by side outside of JCPennys. They sat on the little bench and shared a banana milkshake. Vista had never met another person that loved banana milkshakes; she decided that it was just one more thing that made she and Mark the perfect couple. And it wasn't just the milkshake, they had everything in common. They both loved classical music, black and white movies, warm spring days. They also both wanted to help people, Mark wanted to be a doctor. And they both had a secret dream: Mark wanted to play the piano for the rest of his days and Vista wanted to dance of the London stage. They really could be the perfect couple.
"Tell me, Vista," Mark was saying. "how does a girl your age know about classical music? Most fourteen year olds are into boy bands and those skinny boys in punk bands."
Vista handed him the milkshake. "I've always like classical. I'm..." she was a little embarrassed. "a genius. I'm in the tenth grade, but the school board wanted me to skip five grades. I could be a WU right now."
"Well, I for one am glad you didn't skip that many grades. Because if you skipped all those grades, you wouldn't be here with me right now." He handed the milkshake back to her. Vista felt her face growing red. "I mean it, kid." Kid, he had called her a kid. "Your really wonderful. Why couldn't you be four years older?" Mark chuckled sadly. "Why couldn't I be nine or ten years younger?"
"Bad luck." Vista told him.
"If it weren't for bad luck..." Mark let the sentence hang in the air. They both knew the rest of it, no need to make themselves feel any worse.
*
Madison, Wisconsin
The Hotel of the Sci-fi Con
If it weren't for bad luck, Parker would have been able to kiss Chase two days ago. Now, on Sunday, he knew the weekend would not bring kissing. No, it had brought crying. He had been forced to spend the whole weekend making Holder feel better about missing Pez. Parker hadn't even gotten the chance to enjoy the sci-fi con. He had wanted to get Mark Millar to sign the first issue of "Ultimate X-Men". Now, he didn't have a signed comic and he didn't have Chase on his arm. Parker had a crying Holder.
They stood outside the hotel, by the car, and waited for Eric to finish up and for Chase to use the restroom.
Holder was going on about the Halloween dance three years ago. It seemed he won't be happy till he had gone over everything he and Pez had ever done together. Parker just thanked God that he was nearly done. "And Pez was the princess and I was the knight. Remember? Oh, that was a great Halloween dance. I made out with Allison Moore that night." Holder added with a winning smile and a small nod. "Yeah, she was hot that night."
Parker just looked at Holder before getting in the car. Holder just shrugged and got into the backseat. "Where was I? Oh yeah, so your birthday. Pez got you that video game and I put my name on it, because I forgot your birthday."
Parker turned around in his seat. "You forgot my birthday?" He hit Holder in the arm. "And another thing, I remember that birthday, you put your name of my parent's gift, not Pez's."
"Well," Holder was thankfully cut off by Chase and Eric. Chase jumped in the car and Eric got in laughing a little.
"It's not that funny, Mr. F." The girl made a face and folded her arms over her chest. "It's scary is what it is."
"Oh come on, I think it was funny. That guy really liked you, Chase. You should have gone for it." Eric told the desire of his son as he started the car.
"The thing's over and he's still in the Yoda outfit! Plus, he followed me into the ladies' room."
Holder grinned. "Yeah, I've tried that trick a couple of times. One time, Pez and I-" Chase hit him in arm, Parker threw a cup at him, and Eric threw a comic. "Ow, damn it, guys!"
*
Point Place, Wisconsin
Forman Driveway
Sept. 7, 2003
5:00 p.m.
Both the Forman car and the Forman jeep parked in the drive way at five o'clock that Sunday evening. Everyone got out and the chatting about the weekend started. Eric and Donna hugged and started asking about the con and the interviews. Eric noticed Vista sadly walk into the house and asked what was wrong.
"She got her first crush this weekend. She got a crush on the piano man." Donna filled her husband in as they walked in the house.
Eric's reply could be heard all the way in the drive way. "Wait, she fell for Billy Joel!? Billy Joel was at the mall?!"
Parker and Chase got out of the car and went to the back to get Chase's bag. Another weekend gone and they were still no closer to being more then friends. Parker got the bag and handed it to Chase.
"Thanks. Oh," she reached into the bag and pulled a comic out. "I got that Mark Millar guy to sign this for you." she handed it to him. "It's the first issue of "Ultimate X-Men", that's okay, right?"
Without thinking Parker grabbed the girl and wrapped her in a huge hug. "Oh my God, thank you!" He released her and looked down at the comic in black marker it read: Here's hoping you get a clue.-Mark Millar. He looked up at Chase. "Oh, I have a clue." Chase smiled. "I have a clue that this is going in a picture frame in my bedroom. My Dad is going to be so jealous!"
Chase glared at him, huffed and walked toward the street. "Chase?" He looked from the sliding door to Chase's retreating form. He really wanted to go after her, but he also really wanted to rub the signed comic in his Dad's face. He'd go to her house after they ate. Running as fast as he could, Parker went into the house screaming. "Dad, you'll never guess what I got!"
Pez stood by the Forman car, waiting for Jon to get her bags. Holder saw her and felt himself feeling a little better. There was his Pez, his Pezzy, his little buddy. The truth was he felt bad about the way he had behaved all weekend.
Sure, Pez was pretty, in that exotic sort of way. And yeah, she was charming and cute in a quirky way. And, so what if she had shiny and dark hair? And what if she had eyes that you could get lost in? She was Pez! She was still the little girl that was obsessive over candy and that was scared of Alf and the guy from the oatmeal box. Pez was supposed to be his little buddy, not his love interest.
Using his "sexy" walk, (which was mostly his normal walk, just with a more girly sway) Holder walked over to the car. "Hey, Pez. How was your weekend?"
"Good, good." she grinned from ear to ear. "The new mall has six candy stores." she held up a large paper bag. "I brought some home for my Dad and sisters."
"Nice." He nodded approvingly at the bag. Now, it was time to see if she had been just as sad as he had. "So, uh, had fun?"
Pez smiled that dreamy smile she used when she was thinking about things she liked. "Yeah, lots." Pez looked over at Jon, who was now standing by the bushes that separated his house and Parker's. "Oh, Jon and I figured out why your so crazy about me."
"I am not!" Holder yelled, making his voice go really high and girly. He groaned slightly and looked away from a laughing Jon. He focused on Pez. "Okay, why?"
Pez cleared her throat a little and said in a very serious tone. "The sons of Kelso will always love and lust for the daughters of Fez." Holder blinked. "Okay, Michael dated Candy, yes? Alexander dated Kit-Kat, right? Allan lusted after both Candy and Kit-Kat. Bruce will lust after or date Cookie. Maybe even Brownie." Pez paused and thought for a second. "Or Vi might lust after Brownie. I cannot say."
That was all true. His older brothers did have a thing for Pez's older sisters. But that meant nothing. "But, I don't lust after you." He tried to sound firm.
Pez really didn't believe him. "Okay, buddy." she patted him on the shoulder. "I have to get going. You would not believe the numbers I got. Without you with me, I have learned a few things. One-I am very charming. Two-I am a little slutty." She looked back at Jon then back at Holder. "Jon and I are going to the Hub to go through the numbers and see whose the best. Bye." With that Pez turned and she and Jon began to walk away.
Holder waited three whole seconds before running after them. "Wait, I could help to!"
*
Later that night, Donna and Eric sat on the sofa in their living room. They were facing each other and talking about the weekend.
"I still can't believe my own son got Mark Millar's autograph. I had to spend the whole time signing books for people that love me and my work." He paused and thought about it. "Yeah, it's a fair trade."
Donna smiled proudly at her husband. He was just so cute. "He did say he'd let you hold the comic when he gets his car. So, you'll be holding that baby in two to three years."
Eric nodded. "True. But I want to know more about this piano man. Our daughter fell in love with Billy Joel?" He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he a little old for her?"
Donna hit him lightly on the arm. "She got a crush on the young man that played the piano at the mall."
"Well, that's not a good job. She'd have to be married to the guy that played at the mall. She'd be Vista Guy-Who-Plays-At-Mall. Her name is already strange as it is. They'd have to live in the mall. They'd sleep on those little beds at J.C. Penny's or Sears. They'd have to eat at the food court." He flip his wrist. "Not a good way to live." Donna laughed a little before leaning over and kissing him, mostly to shut him up.
the end