The next few weeks went like that. Serena sorted contracts and other important documents, while everything from the attics to the basements were catalogued. "God, I've never seen so many valuables just thrown around so carelessly," Ariana said as she and Lilly walked up from the basement.
"Next we get to go to Mars and do the same thing," Lilly said laughing.
Ariana grimaced. "I need a break," she said as they walked into the main hall.
"Ari, Lilly, just in time for dinner. Tomorrow we have guests," Serena reminded them.
"I forgot all about that. Rena, you could set up five museums with all the stuff you have," Ariana said.
"Good. Then we'll have plenty of stuff to rotate with. When can we open?" Serena asked.
"How about a week before Christmas. Since you have a lot of Christmas stuff, too, we can start off with that. Then after the first of the year, we can rotate it into ancient sleds and things. I want to go with seasons first so we can go through some of that stuff," Ariana said.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Serena said, and they walked into the dining room.
"Hey, gorgeous," Kaden greeted Serena with a quick kiss.
"I'm sorry. I forgot I was supposed to come early. I was..." Kaden cut her off.
"Busy, I know. That's OK. I still love you," he said. She smiled, but looked exhausted. "Are you going to rest tonight?" he asked.
"Of course. I'm tired tonight. If I didn't have so much to do yet, I would go to bed early," Serena said.
"Couldn't you anyhow? Just this once?" he asked.
"Kaden, I have three very important meetings tomorrow morning. I have to finish the contracts or it's all pointless. Besides, Seyia and his wife will be here tomorrow afternoon, and I want to be there to greet them. Things haven't been sorted, changed, or gone through since Mom died. You know this. It's going to take me forever to write up all these contracts. I have to read all of the previous ones before it, and figure out how I can revise it to make it work in modern day. I'm trying to get it all done before the baby comes so I don't have as much to worry about after it's here," Serena said as they sat down for dinner.
"I know, I know. We've all been trying to help, too. Isn't there anything more that we can do?" he asked.
"Sure. You're a lawyer. Read through the contracts for the meeting with Venus tomorrow, make revisions, type them up, and that'll be less that I have to do," Serena said.
"I hate contracts," Kaden muttered.
"I know. So do I. If we don't have them though, we won't be getting anywhere. We're only the head rulers of the planets, Love. We pass or deny these things. I need a secretary that I can trust with interplanetary information. So far all of the applicants Luna has screened have failed one way or another," Serena said.
"I know. It seems the only ones we can trust are ourselves. Though I do have to say that the palace cleaning came along rather quickly. Having fresh air in here helps," Kaden said.
"It does make a world of difference. All the mildew smell is gone. Heck, the mold in general is gone. Once we found the source of it and got it taken care of, everyone has been feeling a lot better. Bleach is such a wonderful invention," Serena said, amused.
"Hey, what does Diana do anyhow?" Ariana asked suddenly.
"She doesn't really do anything. She was never assigned anything before your mother died," Luna said.
"I help wherever I'm needed," Diana said in her defense.
"Can she be trusted with interplanetary secrets?" Ari asked.
"Of course. Why?" Artemis asked.
"Could she be Rena's secretary?" Ari asked.
"Hey, yeah, she'd be great at it," Gabrielle agreed.
Luna and Artemis looked at each other, then to Serena. "What do you say, Diana? Will you help me?" Serena asked.
"Sure. I like computers and typing. Besides, from the looks of things, if you don't get help soon, you'll never get caught up," Diana said.
"Great. Can you start Monday morning?" Serena asked.
"I could start tonight and help get things put away now that they're organized. I also have a degree in law, so I could always help look over contracts if you wanted me to," She said.
"Diana, you're a saint," Serena said. She blushed.
The rest of the evening went fairly quickly as Serena and Diana got to work. Diana organized the files into their separate drawers, which allowed Serena easier access to them. Serena and Kaden typed up the three contracts while Diana worked. "Hey, does this mean I have to wear a uniform?" Diana asked.
"No, just dress nicely once we open the palace for business again. That gives you three months," Serena said.
"Nice like dress slacks and shirt?" Diana asked.
"Yes. Dresses are not required. I can't abide the things myself," Serena said.
"Good. I wanted to make sure. I guess that means I'll have to borrow some money and go shopping," Diana said. Serena stopped typing for a minute, and pulled out the business checkbook. She wrote Diana a nice, small check as a sign on bonus. She handed it to an unsuspecting Diana. "What's this for?" she asked, confused.
"I give all the secretaries a sign on bonus. I also give Christmas bonuses. They come out with the next check in a week. The pay period ended today, but I'll compensate you for the whole weekend. You can pick up you first check from your mom in the downstairs office next Friday, " Serena said.
Diana smiled. "I'm getting paid for this?" she asked.
"Yes. Why did you think you wouldn't?" Serena asked.
"I don't know, because I grew up here I guess," Diana answered.
"Nope. Even your parents get paid by me. I don't normally sign the checks, but I have to for the Christmas bonuses because they come out of a different account. I also sign all fifteen head supervisor checks," Serena said.
"You do a lot," Diana said.
"Yes I do. We wouldn't be making any money if I didn't try my hardest at everything," Serena said.
"Dad said that you had a tons of money to begin with, and that just since you've been back, you've practically doubled it," Diana said.
"I'm good at what I do. I let your father take care of the numbers and the horses. Witch reminds me, I heard Star Fire had a new colt. What was he named?" Serena asked.
"We haven't named him yet. He's a wild one. I told my dad that's what we should name him, and he laughed at me," Diana said. Serena smiled and they finished their work for the evening.
"Well, Rena, we're done before I expected to be. She really helps," Kaden said.
"I know. I don't know what I'll do if she ever quits," Serena said.
"I don't plan on quitting. I may have to take time off eventually, but I don't plan on it in the near future," Diana said, and turned and left.
Serena pulled the big heavy doors closed and locked them. "Why do you always lock them?" Kaden asked.
"Because I don't want anyone in there when I'm not in there. There's to much information for prying eyes in there," she said.
"I guess I didn't think about that," Kaden said.
"We should go to bed. I'm exhausted," Serena said.
"Sounds like a plan to me. Why don't we check on the girls first?" he asked. Serena agreed.
They knocked softly on the door to the still lit room the girls had decided to share. Rini opened it. "Hey, Sweetheart. We're going to bed, and we just wanted to say goodnight, OK?" Serena asked. "Sure. Grace and I were just getting ready to go to bed, too. We can't wait 'til break," Rini said.
Grace stood and came over to them. "My throat still hurts, Mama," Grace said as she gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Serena felt her throat. It felt a little swollen. "I tell you what. If your throat doesn't feel better before I send you to your uncle's for a visit tomorrow, I'll have your daddy look at it, OK? If it's too bad, you'll stay home," she asked.
"But I want to go visit Uncle Erin," she said and winced because it hurt.
Serena frowned. Neither of the girls wanted to miss the weekend at their uncle's, but she wouldn't send them anywhere sick. "Rini, Sweetie, does you throat hurt, too?" Serena asked.
"A little, but I'm OK. My ears itch though," she said.
Serena sighed heavily. "I was afraid of this. Ladies, I may have to make you wait until next weekend to go see your uncle. I think you're coming down with a cold, and I don't want you to give it to your uncle. OK?" she asked. They nodded, frustrated that they wouldn't be going this weekend. "How about I send you to Daddy's for the weekend so you can feel better?" she asked.
"OK, but can we go to Uncle Erin's next weekend?" Rini asked.
"I'll make the arrangements right after I leave you two," Serena promised.
The girls gave her and Kaden another hug and kiss. "Night, Mama, night, Daddy Kaden," they said in unison. They'd taken to calling him that right after they had all returned to the palace. He didn't mind. He loved them like they were his own. He and Serena tucked them in, turned out the light, and left for their own room down the hall.
"I hate when they get sick like this. It's hard to have them both down at the same time," Serena said as she pulled out her cell phone. Kaden agreed and she called Darien.
"Hello?" he asked, sounding tired.
"Hey, I know it's late, but we have a situation," Serena said.
"It's OK. We were just getting to bed anyhow," Darien said.
"Sorry. Kaden and I just went to say good night to the ladies. Grace's throat hurts when she talks, and Rini's is scratchy, but her ears itch. They were supposed to go to Erin's this weekend, but I can't send them there sick. Can I send them to you?" she asked.
"Yeah. I think they may be getting strep. We're all just getting over it here, and they may have caught it when they came over earlier this week. I think I told you about that, didn't I?" he asked.
"Darien, you could have told me anything at the beginning of the week, and I would probably have forgotten it by now if I didn't write it down," Serena said.
Darien chuckled softly on the other end of the line. "I'll take them home after our meeting with you tomorrow, OK?" he asked.
"Thanks, Dare. You're a lifesaver. It's not that I wouldn't love to keep them here even though they're sick, it's just that Seyia's wife just found out she's pregnant, and I don't want to expose her to it if I don't have to," Serena explained.
"I know. I understand. Really, we don't mind. Sets and I feel responsible for getting them sick anyhow," Darien said.
"Thank you again. Tell Sets good night for me?" she asked.
"I will. Night, Rena," Darien said, and they disconnected.
"So he's taking them after the meeting tomorrow?" Kaden guessed.
"Yeah. Apparently everyone there is just getting over strep, and the girls may have caught it when they went to him earlier this week when we had that big meeting," Serena said.
"I think I remember him mentioning that they were all sick at one point this week," Kaden said.
Serena nodded. "He said that he mentioned it. It must've been to you and not me. I don't know. I do know that there is a shower with my name written all over it in there, and its calling to me," Serena joked.
Kaden smiled. "I don't suppose you can hear it calling to me, too, can you?" he asked.
"Yes actually, I think I do," Serena said. He smiled again, and they walked into the bathroom. An hour and a half later, finally clean and sated, they emerged from the bathroom. They crawled into bed and found themselves exhausted.