Chapter 9: Like pet, like kid; like kid, like pet

"Some days I think I have twelve children in the house," Ziva joked with Delilah. "One or the other of them always wants attention."

The two were out for the evening on their quarterly "ladies night." Breena had to decline this time because of six funerals in the next three days. Abby had her brother Luca in town for the week.

"Other days it is more like having twelve pets in the house." Delilah looked at Ziva with a raised eyebrow.

Ziva grinned, "Shake the food container and they all come running!"

"Speaking of food," Delilah motioned towards the waiter bringing their food. He placed the plate of seafood in front of Delilah and the plate with the veal Marsala in front of Ziva. "Mmm, this smells delicious!"

Ziva raised her glass of wine to her sister of the heart, "To sisters; and a kid-free and pet-free meal!"

Delilah grinned and raised her wine glass, tapping Ziva's. "Enjoy your dinner without six sets of eyes watching and willing a bite to fall on the floor!"

"The pets know who will feed them at the table; Tony is the worst one. He will slip food to Callie and thinks I do not see him. The kids all follow his example, so every one of the pets will usually get a hand out at every meal. Daisy lives for Anthony's hand to slide under the table with her bite."

"And you don't slip food to Asher?" Delilah had seen Ziva giving the dog chicken and vegetables from the table.

"Guilty as charged."

The two ate their meal, enjoying the quiet of the restaurant's patio area. As they were finishing up the entrees, Ziva remembered something she was going to show her sister.

"Remember that I sent the picture of the kids following the dogs and cats through the pet door?" Ziva picked up her phone.

"Yes, especially since they have John and Katie doing the same thing when we are at your house." Delilah smiled.

"Well, guess who decided to try to get through the pet door?" Ziva showed the picture to Delilah.

"Is he really stuck?" Delilah laughed. Tony appeared to be stuck in the pet door with his shoulders diagonally across the opening. His arms were out front of his body and he had a surprised look on his face.

"Stuck and wedged in the frame; it was hard to get a good picture because I was laughing so hard." Ziva laughed at the memory. "When he started laughing, it made it even more difficult to help him get out of the door. I had to pull him from behind while he pushed with his hands on the floor."

"I wish I had been there! It's never dull at the DiNozzo house."

"That is true. And my big goofy kid makes it interesting for sure. It is one of the many things I love about him; he is not afraid to laugh at himself."