Later that day, Kate was busy cooking dinner in the kitchen while Uncle Joe was reclining in one of the chairs. The dog was resting comfortably on the floor beside the stove. They hadn't seen much of Homer Bedloe since he arrived at the Hotel earlier that afternoon. He had left the Hotel to go on a mysterious errand – and he returned with wrapped box under his arm. Kate was curious about what he was up to.
Suddenly, Billie Jo came into the kitchen looking excited but a little nervous. She was wearing a long coat. "Mom?"
"What is it, Billie Jo?" Kate asked as she moved over to the stove and peeked into a pot.
"I have something to show you."
Kate turned around to face her daughter. "Yes?"
Then Billie Jo dropped her coat to the floor, revealing a body clad in a skimpy, pink bikini. Her long, smooth legs and flat, pale belly were in plain sight.
Kate was stupefied.
"Well, what do you think?" Billie Jo asked. "Isn't it wild?"
"I thought I told you not to buy a bikini."
"I didn't. It was given to me as a gift," the girl explained.
"A gift from who?"
"Mr. Bedloe."
Kate narrowed her eyes. "Come again?"
"I know. I'm just as surprised as you are! Well anyway, I think it'll attract a lot of boys, don't you?" With that, Billie Jo picked up her coat and fled the kitchen.
Kate folded her arms and looked at Uncle Joe with flames in her eyes. "Mr. Bedloe knew good and well that I didn't want her to have a bikini! I'm going up to his room and give him a piece of my mind!"
"No wait, Kate!" Uncle Joe stood up and grabbed her arm. "Can't you see what Bedloe is doing? He just wants to spite you. That's the only reason he bought Billie Jo a bikini."
Kate thought this over for a moment. "Well…whatever he's doing, it's working."
"But you have to remember…This is Homer Bedloe we're talking about. You can't let him get to you, Kate."
"I guess you're right," Kate said with a sigh.
At the table that night, everyone ate their dinner quietly. Kate kept a close eye on Homer Bedloe as he was eating. One strange thing was that Homer kept smirking at her. Whenever Homer Bedloe smiled, it was never a good sign. But it wasn't so bad because right now Kate had other matters on her mind. It was Uncle Joe's Birthday tomorrow and Kate was planning to surprise him with a cake.
Kate waited until her uncle was asleep before she started getting things ready. While the oven was heating, she prepared a big bowl of rich batter. The girls giggled excitedly as they helped make the sweet, creamy icing for the cake.
Little did they know that Homer Bedloe was spying on them. When he saw that they were making a Birthday cake, he got a wicked idea. So they want to surprise their Uncle Joe with a cake, do they? Well, he's not the only one who's going to get a surprise!
When the cake was finished baking, Kate set it on the counter to cool. Then she took a spatula and spread on the thick, white icing with a professional touch.
"Mmm…that looks so good, Mom. I can't wait for Uncle Joe to see it!" said Betty Jo as she watched her mom apply the icing.
Kate smiled. "We'll put it in the refrigerator until tomorrow."
"You should hide it behind something so Uncle Joe won't find it if he comes down for a snack," Bobby Jo suggested, helpfully.
"Good thinking," Kate said, carefully bringing the cake to the refrigerator. She set the plate in the back of the fridge and nodded her head in satisfaction.
Then Kate and the girls went to bed without a worry.
Homer Bedloe waited until the women went to bed, then he put his plan into action. He went to his room, opened up his briefcase, and took out a container of ants.
He chuckled to himself. "You know, if I wasn't who I was, I might feel pretty bad about what I'm about to do," he told the ants.
Then he snuck downstairs and into the dark kitchen with the container in his hand. He took the cake out of the refrigerator and poured the ants all over it. Then Homer put the ant-infested cake back into the refrigerator and went upstairs. All during the night, the tiny, black insects had a feast.