Another chapter? How long should I make this thing? Don't strangle me when I ask for reviews – so please review!
"We need to decide on a name." Artemis told Anna-Maria as they sat on the table.
"No kidding, is that why all these books on baby names are on the table?" She asked sarcastically.
"Your sense of sarcasm has sharpened dramatically." Artemis observed. "This hormonal imbalance is going to last quite a while and return repeatedly."
"Sorry, Artemis, I can't help it." Anna-Maria said as she leaned back in her seat and opened a book.
"I know you can't Anna-Maria, it's perfectly understandable. No one would be able to remain perfectly cheery in your place."
"Thank you, Artemis…I think." She frowned over her book for a moment. "Artemis?"
"Hmmm…?"
"This book has names for German babies."
Holly burst into laughter at that as Artemis frowned at her. "I – I'm sorry," She said through giggles. "It – it's just, the look on your face!"
Artemis drummed his fingers on the table. "Are you through?"
Holly covered her mouth for a moment and stopped herself. "I'm done, promise. Anyway, what do you need all those books for? You're going to name the boy Artemis at any rate and just name the girl Holly and save yourselves some trouble."
Anna-Maria tapped a pen against her chin in thought. "Well, we can't call her Holly; it would be too confusing whenever you come for a visit. Although it can be her middle name… but Holly does have a point, Artemis, we don't need these books. In Italian tradition, the eldest boy is named for his paternal grandfather, and the eldest girl for her paternal grandmother. A second boy is named for his maternal grandfather, and a second girl is named for her maternal grandmother."
"Hmmm…that's right. But we are not going to name our next son Julius." Artemis replied.
"Can we have this one first before we talk of more? And in that case our second daughter will be named Rebecca."
"What do you suggest?"
"Well, the boy will be named Artemis –"
Holly slumped on the sofa. "I knew it."
"And since my mother's name was Angela and your mother's is Angeline, we can name the girl Angelina."
Artemis nodded. "That's a fair compromise. So the girl will be Angelina Holly Fowl –"
"Boy, what a mouthful!" Holly commented.
"And our son's middle name will be…"
Anna-Maria looked thoughtful. "Vincenzo will be his middle name. Artemis Vincenzo Fowl."
Artemis smiled. "That has a nice ring to it."
"Sure, if you want him to get made fun of at the children's park!"
Anna-Maria frowned in her direction. "Holly, Vincenzo is a very popular Italian name for a boy. Unless you think Artemis Julio Fowl sounds better?"
"Actually…it does." Holly replied.
Anna-Maria looked surprised. "It does?"
"Isn't 'Julio' the Italian form of 'Julius'?" Artemis asked.
"Oh, Arty, dear, you said we couldn't name a son Julius, you never said anything about Julio; besides, it's a middle name, not a first name. Please, Artemis, let me honor my father by giving his name to our son."
Artemis grinned. "Anna-Maria, relax. I was only joking on that previous comment; I thought you knew that."
"Artemis, don't joke with Anna-Maria too much; there's still some hormonal imbalances that are affecting her sense of humor."
"How do you know?"
Holly raised an eyebrow at him. "Because that happened to Caballine when she was pregnant."
"I still have trouble believing that she actually married Foaly; let alone had a baby centaur." Anna-Maria commented.
"So…Artemis Julio Fowl and Angelina Holly Fowl, is that what they are going to be named?" Artemis asked as he wrote the names down. "What do we name the other seven children then?"
Anna-Maria looked frantic while Holly blinked and wished her camera hadn't run out of battery. "What other seven?"
"Remember our wedding night? You said you wanted nine children." Artemis replied calmly.
Anna-Maria relaxed instantly. "Oh, yes. But, Artemis?"
"Yes?"
"Can we come up with the other seven names later, like when those seven children are born?"
"Oh. Of course." Artemis put down his book and lifted Anna-Maria out of her seat gently. "You really should get some rest now."
"Artemis, I haven't turned into glass just because I'm having babies. Oh, no!"
Holly frowned and reached for her neutrino. "What? Is there something wrong? Like an early labor or an intruder or –"
"No! I'm going to have to give up karate lessons for the time being." Anna-Maria moaned.
Holly raised an eyebrow as she returned her neutrino to its sheath on her belt. "You take karate lessons?"
"She teaches them." Artemis corrected.
Holly sighed and plunked her head on the armrest of the sofa. "Your kids are going to be real something. I'm starting to think genii should avoid mood-swings and hormonal imbalances at any cost."
"Artemis, put me down!" Anna-Maria exclaimed.
"Why?"
"Do you want me to vomit all over you?" She asked as Artemis quickly set her down on the floor. "That's what I thought."
"You need to add something to your to-do list, Mud Boy." Holly said after Anna-Maria left.
"What?" Artemis asked as he studied his list. "It doesn't appear to be missing anything vital."
"You should install a basin and filtering system in your bedroom so that Anna-Maria won't have to go back and forth between the bathroom and bed in the early mornings. And buy some earplugs so you won't have to hear food as it gets thrown up."
"Oh, thanks so much, Holly, you're a real help." Artemis retorted.
"You're welcome."
Keep reviewing…because in the next chapter you'll see how Anna-Maria and Artemis react to the cravings she gets!