Chapter 2: At Dinner
That evening:
"Mom, what's wrong?" Dash asked, looking to his mother who was picking at her food of steak, macaroni, peas and carrots, and potatoes.
Helen chuckled, and gave Dash a soft pat on the head. "Oh, I'm fine. How was your day?"
"Same ole', same ole'. I nearly wanted to show off and do a full sprint against Brubaker High in the relay, but we beat 'em anyway."
"And how about you, Violet?"
Violet seemed to be in a blissful mood. "Everything is just peachy."
On any other day, Helen would have taken that as typical teenage sarcasm, but she realized that Violet was seeing a boy at school for some time--Stan...
"Hopefully, you're not too distracted from your schoolwork."
"I keep up, Mom."
Helen looked to Bob, reading the front paper that told yet another tale of one of Mr. Incredible's daring saves. She didn't like it when he read at the table. However, with her mind on other things, she didn't pay it much mind as she used to....
"Bob? Do I need to ask how your day went?"
"Well," Bob became slightly animated, "I helped an old lady cross the street...leaped a tall building in a single bound--to stop a news 'copter that nearly collided with another news 'copter that was filming me running faster than a speeding bullet to save a security guard that was being heroic at the downtown financial building."
He paused to take a breath.
Bob, Bob, Helen thought. He seemed to really like playing hero. It made him feel so alive.
For some reason, the villans had disappeared when the supers were relocated. Ever since Syndrome was destroyed, the villans had created work for the supers once again. Moreover the government had agreed to fund the League of Supers--paying each super for their services to protect whichever city they resided in.
It wasn't too long ago, the League of Supers was disbanded, their funds halted. Everyone had to live "normal" lives....
Helen thought she heard something.
"Honey? How was your day?"
Helen was somewhat suprised at the question, eyeing not only Bob, but Dash--who was chewing a bit of steak, Violet--looking interested, even little Jack-Jack in his high chair, who wasn't with Mommy when she left for the market.
"I left Jack-Jack with the babysitter--and saved an Ambassador from Kenya."
Bob looked through his paper. Sure enough, on the front page was the miraculous save of Ambassador Adewale by Elastigirl.
FORMIDABLE ELASTIGIRL SAVES AMBASSADOR! the headlines read.
Bob held it up for everyone at the table to see. "Congratulations, Honey."
"Ambassador Adewale suffered from vertigo," she started...
"That's when you have a fear of heights, right?" asked Dash.
"That's right," complimented Helen, before continuing. "Well, he was staying on the top floor of the Ritzy Hotel on 1st Street, and wanted to get a view of the city. Basically, trying to be brave."
She paused to recall the events. "His two aides were about to catch him as he fell faint...right over the ledge. Thankfully, I was able to dash" (Dash himself smiled at that)"out of my car as I passed out of the hotel and don my super-suit, giving him a soft landing..."
"Wow!" Dash smiled.
"Ambassaor Adewale wanted to take me to dinner...not too mention have me spend the evening with him." She looked to the kids, wondering if they caught that slip. Dash was still listening, possibly unaware..but Violet seemed to have a coy smile on her face.
Bob even had a sly smile playing on his lips. "And...?"
"I told him I was taken, and thanked him."
Bob perused the article. "Yes, and it looks like Herb Hufnick wants to photograph you for Playbu---um, er."
Bob looked to Dash and Violet embarrassingly, before turning back to Helen.
"Honey?"
Helen looked a bit embarrassed herself. "We need to talk, Bob."