In January, Nancy gave birth to a baby girl named Natalie Della Mason. Perry and Della were smitten with their new granddaughter. Their children were thrilled to be aunts and uncles. When Della asked why they named Natalie after her, the answer was simple. If Della had never had cancer, if she had never had radiation, Nancy and Nicky would have never met. Nicky and Nancy did the same thing with Natalie that Perry and Della did with their babies. Later that spring, Della was in the kitchen, organizing the refrigerator, "need help?" Perry asked when he walked in.
"Thanks, but I think I've got it."
Perry looked out the kitchen window and saw his sons in the backyard. Max was using the shovel to dig a hole while Vinny dragged a large sack behind him. "Um, Della," Perry said nervously.
"Hmm?"
"Are there eight-year-old serial killers?"
Della looked at her husband in confusion, "what are you talking about?"
"Look," he pointed to the boys.
"I'm sure it's nothing," she said.
Max and Vinny took the sack and dumped its contents into the hole. Della gave a slight scream and Perry quickly covered her mouth. The boys put the dirt back over the hole. Then they put fertilizer on top of the mound of dirt, "we'd better go talk to them," Perry said. The two walked outside, "hey, boys," Perry said, "what are you up to."
"Nothing much," Max said.
"Your mom and I saw you burying something."
"Just leftover parts," Vinny answered.
"Leftover parts?" Perry asked nervously.
"Yeah, the ones we don't use."
"We put the stuff for mom's garden on top so she could grow stuff. Plus it looks nicer," Max explained.
"I'm going to need more information," Perry said.
The boys shrugged and walked over to two other bags, "Perry, I don't think I want to know," Della whispered.
The boys brought the bags over. What they took out almost caused Della to faint, "what's that?" Perry asked.
"We made them," Max said.
"Yeah, Freddy has woods behind his house. We go and find the dead animals," Vinny added.
"Then we cut them up to see what they look like inside," Max said.
"The best part is switching the parts to make a different animal," Vinny finished.
Turned so her back was to the boys and her mouth was right by Perry's ear. "Oh my God," Della whispered, "our sons are Dr. Frankenstein."
Perry turned her back around. "Where do you do this?" he asked.
"In Freddy's basement," Max answered.
"Do his parents know?"
"Nope," Vinny said.
"Why don't the two of you put your...animals...back in the bags and go wash up," Perry said. The boys put their creations in the bags and started walking away, "scrub for a half-hour!" Perry yelled. When the boys were gone, Perry turned to his wife, "do they have rabies shots for kids?"
"I have no idea. What do they think I'm going to grow over dead animal parts?"
"Should I call Freddy's dad?"
Two people walked into the yard, "you don't have to," Freddy's dad said. "I see your two did the same thing. Sorry about that."
"I'm still trying to decide if it's a warning sign," Perry said.
"Well, we're going to monitor them more closely," the mother said.
"Yeah, our basement looks like a butcher shop," the father said.
The four finished the conversation and Freddy's parents left. "This is why we don't have a dog," Della said.
"I thought it was because we aren't home enough to take care of one?"
"That was the old reason. This is the new one."
That Monday there was no school. Della and Perry decided to take the boys to the office. Paul walked in and greeted everyone. "Uncle Paul, we made you something," Max said.
"Yeah," Vinny took the two bags to Paul.
"Wow, thanks, boys."
"Um, Paul," Perry said, "wait until you get to your office to open them."
"Why?"
Perry smiled, "just wait. Oh, and if you have gloves, I suggest you use them."
"In case they're still wet," Della said. Paul shrugged and left. A few minutes later, Perry's phone rang. "Yes, Paul," Della answered. She knew it had to be him.
When she hung up, Perry looked at his wife, "well?"
"He thought they were cool until he realized they were real. Now, he's just creeped out."
Nicky entered Perry's office, "who's creeped out by what?"
"Go to Paul's office," Della said.
Nicky was confused but did as his mother said. He returned a few minutes later. "I'd start the psychotherapy now," he said as he walked out of his father's office and into his own.
