Suzie's Request

"Hey, Tom," Suzie asked. "Layla?"

Tom & Layla turned to Suzie, "What is it?" they asked in unison.

"Would you please distract Alan & Anne by taking them to the pictures, then bird-watching in the park on May eleventh after school?" Suzie asked Tom & Layla.

"Excellent!" Tom exclaimed.

"Yes, Suzie, quite excellent," Layla asked. "but why should we do it?"

"Because," Suzie explained to Layla. "the rest of us will be putting together the final touches on their surprise party."

"I'm in!" Layla said to Suzie.

A few hours later in the boys' bedroom, all the boys were sleeping peacefully.

Flip was snoring lightly in the bottom bunk to Alan's left hand side.

Tom was asleep in the bed above Alan's and he began to dream.

Within his dream, Tom was 3-years-old and sitting on his mother's lap.

"Read it again, Mommy," Tom begged. "read it again!"

Back in their bedroom, Tom had tears in his eyes due to the fact that he was missing his mother, Akiko Chan, but he still slept on peacefully.

Alan was tossing and turning, "Cheetah, no, don't leave me! Please don't leave me, Cheetah!" he shouted in his sleep.

Within his dream, it was their birthday, and Anne was going off on her own to help their father solve a case.

"I will be right back, Alan." Anne said, hugging her twin.

"Cheetah, no, don't leave me! Please don't leave me, Cheetah!" Alan begged Anne.

"Don't be afraid, Alan," Anne said, releasing her grip on him. "I'll be right back."

Anne turned to go but Alan clutched onto her hands tightly, "Cheetah, no, don't leave me! Please don't leave me, Cheetah!" he begged Anne again.

Back in the boys' bedroom, Alan awoke with tears in his eyes.

Over in the girls' bedroom, Mimi awoke from a nightmare.

Mimi climbed down the ladder from her bed and ran over to Suzie's bed, "Suzie! Suzie! Wake up!" she hissed.

Suzie opened her eyes, "What's the matter, Mimi?" she asked groggily.

"I had a bad dream! Wolves were after me!" Mimi told Suzie, sobbing.

Suzie hugged Mimi tightly, "Don't worry, Alan & Anne are the guardian angels of our family, they give us all strength and security." she said to her youngest sister.

"Yes," Mimi said to Suzie. "they are the bravest ones of us all."

"Anne still moreso than Alan." Suzie laughed.

"Yes," Mimi laughed. "Alan still isn't fond of either heights or dark closed in spaces!"

Mimi & Suzie just laughed softly.