Chapter 5: Cream Cheese

"We're back!" Cloud announced their return as he opened the door to the bar and entered. It was 5 pm in the evening and he assumed the kids to be upstairs playing in their room with her. "I think that they are asleep," Cloud whispered to Tifa, "Why am I whispering though?" He asked, more from himself.

"I don't know," Tifa grinned in response. She linked her fingers through his and said "Come on, let's get the food to the counter and call the kids."

Feeling surprised yet happy at her action, Cloud nodded and moved ahead.

"Ha la la la la la la! Woot! Woot!"

Splash!

"Oh my god! Look at their faces! Look at their faces!"

If a customer had walked in at that moment, they would have seen two kids dressed up as Native Americans and a young girl in late teens looking like a Chieftain, all doubled up in laughter. They would have also seen the bar hostess and her housemate covered in cream cheese in different amounts and places, their looks of pure shock.

Cloud took the hit to his face while residues were splattered on Tifa's clothes and some bits had flied to her hair too. Apparently the Woot! was a signal to actually throw the bowl and whoever took the shot had great aim.

"Yuffie! I swear you're not going to get out of this one easily," shouted Cloud and took after the girl dressed up as the Chieftain forgetting about the boxes of food that had fallen from his hands. Yuffie gave a loud cackle and started running around the bar shouting back in response, "That is payback for treating me as a slave, you blonde arse! What made you call me this morning and order me around in that high and mighty voice of yours to come and look after your wards. Do you know what Barret would say if he knew his daughter was alone for 10 minutes or so and her guardians were busy out their knocking each other unconscious for all I care?"

Jumping easily over the counter, Yuffie made it to the kitchen when Cloud realised the implications of her words. "You wouldn't dare you brat! If Barret knew I was knocking around with Tifa, he'll kill me, outside of the home or in it," shouted the blonde warrior as he decided to make his way to the kitchen door to trap the ninja. Both of them were too busy sizing up the situation that they both forgot about the kids and the subject of the conversation as being still in the room. It was only when Tifa cleared her throat that they both jumped in response.

"Hey Denzel, Marlene, why don't you guys go change and I'll get some dinner ready for you and stay in your room when you guys are done. I'll call you when everything downstairs is clean and dinner is ready to be served. Okay? Meanwhile, Yuffie, you start cleaning the bar," Tifa stated as she moved forward towards the counter. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes which made both Cloud and Yuffie realise what they were shouting about in front of the kids.

Oh damn, I am dead. Dead. Dead. Dead! And all because this stupid ninja couldn't control what she was saying, Cloud thought as he tried to move out of her way.

What if she whips out her gloves? Oh man, I am a goner! So young and so full of promise, I can't die now. I have not even humiliated the other guys in Avalanche as of this moment! Yuffie thought as she saw Tifa approach her.

"The broom is in the cupboard under the stairs, the mop right behind the door to the hall bathroom and the floor duster next to the mop, Yuffie. If you still can't find them, call me and I'll get them for you. Oh, and even a word breathed about this to Barret means repercussions for all those involved in this fiasco so better watch what you say," Tifa said all the while preparing things for the dinner. "Why don't you go get ready too Cloud, you must be hungry," she continued.

The absence of her smile meant that she would be talking to Cloud after all of this, or so he thought as he hurried towards the stairs more in fear that she'll change her mind and call him back and make him do something too than anything else. However, for some reason, he could not stop himself from asking her as he reached the top about her taking a shower to which she just gave him that look of hers that always made him feel like an idiot. Silenced, he started making his way to the shower again.

This would be his second shower of the day, a long day in fact. A lot had happened in just a matter of 10 to 12 hours and if anything, it had given him conclusive proof that he belonged with this little group of people he liked to call his family. His chain of thoughts was broken as he saw Tifa appear up the stairs. She was smiling to herself as she climbed the last step. She stopped when she saw Cloud standing in the corridor. However, as she didn't frown either too, it meant that she was not in a mood to fight with Cloud or argue with him for that matter.

Before she took, another step, Cloud had moved closer to her and said in a low voice, "Sorry about today, I got carried away by what Yuffie said, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"It's okay Cloud, no worries. It isn't as if the kids knew what you were talking about, right?" she replied not requiring any answer but still clearing up the point, "Come on dinner is ready. Tell Marlene to set up the table and I'll be back after a quick shower," she said while rummaging through her drawers for clothes ad making her way to the shower.

"Hmmm," Cloud nodded as he went to call Marlene. Cream cheese or not, he'd rather spend a day here than anywhere else he continued his thought from before as he entered her and Denzel's room. Life had given him a second chance and he was not going to waste it by brooding about things that were out of his control now.