Chapter 5: Meeting Remy

It had been a rather quiet week after that Monday and the girls soon arrived home from school and Vee giggled. "Watch this," she said to Emily in a whisper and she tiptoed into the kitchen. Emily followed, also tiptoeing, though she wasn't really sure what her older sister had in mind.

Arriving in the kitchen, they both saw a skeleton standing over the counter and he was preparing some things for dinner that evening, humming to himself as he worked and then moved away to grab something from the cupboard. Seeing this as her chance, Vampirina snuck up so the she was hiding by the counter and then waited until Chef Remy had his back to her and she jumped up. "Boo!" She cried out with a giggle.

A shrill yelp escaped the skeleton chef as he jumped and turned to see Vampirina was behind him and giggling. He then smirked and caught her in his arms. "Oh, I know just what to do with little girls who startle me," he said teasingly and started tickling her. Vampirina squealed with laughter as the bony fingers tickled her stomach and her underarms. "Cootchie, cootchie, coo!"

Emily was hovering in the entryway to the kitchen, unsure about the skeleton, but she also giggled at seeing her older sister getting tickled by what looked to be a playful skeleton. Vampirina giggled before transforming into a bat and quickly flying into Remy's ribcage, making him yelp before laughter escaped him. "Little one, no! Not THAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAT!" He pleaded as Vampirina gently flapped her wings, which tickled the skeleton and made him dance about as he tried to get her out of his ribcage, laughing the whole time.

"Got you, Remy!" She said with a laugh. "Skeletons are always ticklish because they've always got funny bones!"

He would have groaned at the pun if he hadn't been trying to get her out of his ribcage, but he finally grabbed the countertop before he fell over and Vampirina flew out of his ribcage. "Remy? You okay?" She asked.

Bony hands gently caught her. "And now I've got you, little one," he said, tickling her sides and making her squeak. "You've got funny bones too."

Vampirina burst into laughter now as the skeleton proceeded to tickle her and use teasing words at the same time. "Such as here," he said, tickling her underarms. "Your ribs," he continued, gently poking each rib, which made her squeak each time he poked a rib. "Your sides." Fingers wiggled furiously into her sides, which not only got her laughing but now desperate to escape his clutches, but he had her. "And your stomach."

Vee's stomach was her most ticklish spot and she laughed her hardest as Remy's fingers wiggled all over her stomach playfully. "Tickle, tickle, tickle!" He said teasingly, hearing her squeak again before he let her up. He then spotted Emily in the entryway. "Ah, so here is our new family member," he said with a smile. "Come in, young one."

Emily instantly stepped back around the corner, peeking shyly from her hiding place, unsure about Remy despite seeing him being playful with her older sister. Vampirina smiled at her. "It's okay, Emily," she said. "Come meet Remy. He's our cook for not only the family, but for the guests too."

The young girl didn't look too sure and stepped back a little, ready to retreat. Remy gently set Vampirina down and the young girl went over to her younger sister. "Go on," she said gently, giving her a gentle nudge towards the kitchen. "Remy's really friendly, just like Demi."

Having learned from the blue ghost about Emily meeting him, Vee was hoping that the comparison would help her little sister give the skeleton chef a chance to meet her and for him to show her he was friendly. He had been making their lunches for the past week and Emily had liked them, so it was only fair she meet the chef who had made them.

Taking encouragement from her older sister, Emily nervously and cautiously moved toward Remy, who had sat down at the table to make himself seem less intimidating to her. He was quite tall after all and she was no doubt alarmed my his height too. He smiled at her gently. "Are you settling well here, chere?" He asked.

While she didn't know what he had called her, she actually liked it as it sounded like a term of endearment. She relaxed a little and nodded in response to his inquiry and he looked pleased. "Do you like macaroni?" He now asked.

Her eyes lit up at hearing that and she nodded eagerly. That was one of her favorite foods and Remy smiled again. "That's good. I'm making that for dinner," he said.

Emily then held up her lunchbox and grinned, pointing to it and giving him a thumbs up, to which he guessed what she was trying to say. "You enjoyed your lunch?" He asked and she nodded again. "I'm glad to hear that. I was a little worried that you wouldn't."

She shook her head, smiling before going over and hugging him. Vee smiled as she watched, not surprised at all when she saw Emily hugging Remy. She took that as a sign that the young girl liked the chef and now saw that he was a friend like Demi was.

Remy picked Emily up and returned the hug warmly, already fond of the little one as he was of Vee and her friends. "Did you have a good day in school, chere?" He asked.

Nodding, she motioned to Vee, who came in. "We did a spelling bee and she spelled her words correctly," the older girl said. "Mr. Gore's been really patient with her and allows her to use the flashcards to answer."

"Ah, I'm glad to hear that," the skeleton said. "He is a good teacher and so understanding of our little Emily. Just like he's been understanding with you too, Vee."

"Yeah," she said. "And the bullies haven't been bothering Emily since Monday either."

"Good. Perhaps they've learned their lesson."

A yelp escaped Remy then as he felt curious fingers touch his ribcage and Emily grinned before tickling him and he laughed. "Oh! You little sneak!" He said with a playful smile. "Now I'm going to get you."

Giggles escaped Emily as Remy tickled her in retaliation and the skeleton then caught Vee in his other arm and tickled both girls at the same time, making their laughter fill the kitchen while he smiled warmly at them, stopping the tickle torture after a moment and holding them gently while they happily hugged him in return.

Well, Emily's met Remy and it looks like she's warmed up to the skeleton too. Next chapter: Emily tries to do something she hasn't done in a long time.

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GoldGuardian2418