Chapter 7. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. It is interesting…a little random…I'm not sure if I like it or not… Some parts are funny…anyway read it and see what you think.
Spoilers: Our Fifteenth Summer
Disclaimer: I do not own: Kate, Abby, Lindsey, Jess, Danny, or Don.
Kate and Abby sat in front of the downstairs computer waiting. The office was very large with cinderblock walls on three of the sides. It had once been used almost constantly but now very few people ventured to the basement. However the computer had, for no reason anyone could readily explain, been kept up to date. So by some laughable twist of fate, the computer in the basement, which had not been used on a regular basis in almost a decade, was the most up to date computer in the house.
"Will you remind me one more time why were are sitting in the basement?" Abby asked brushing a cobweb down from the back of the computer.
"We made the mistake of talking about technology in front of Grandma Anna," Kate replied. That was close to a house rule when they were at Anna's house. Anna was sweet, but she never really understood how technology worked. She also liked to talk to people and technology had never really been inductive to this if the two people were in the same room.
"So we were talking about video conferencing," Abby started, "And so Anna wants a demonstration."
"You've got this nailed," Kate replied sarcastically.
"So which combination of our friends are we talking to?" Abby questioned.
"I think we are talking to Jess and Lindsey," Kate said clicking a couple of buttons on the computer. She pulled up the chat window and found that Jess and Lindsey were already there.
"Hey guys," Abby greeted them, "Are you in on the game we're playing?"
"I think so," Lindsey replied thinking about it, "Give us the short version again."
"No sarcasm, no mention of boyfriends, no mention of anyone's private life unless they bring it up," Kate listed, "I love my grandmother but she can be a little puritanical at times."
"So can you," Abby pointed out.
"Yeah but not this much," Kate replied, "the other thing is that she will always think of us a little girls."
"So the point of this conversation…" Jess prompted.
"Is a way to satisfy Anna's desire to learn about technology," Abby explained.
"Without actually giving her any unnecessarily bad impressions of us or you," Lindsey finished.
"And this is why I keep you guys around," Kate told them, "here she comes."
"Caitlin," Anna called coming down the stairs, "Are your friends here yet?"
"Yes Grandma," Kate called back with a nod to the other three. Anna came down the stairs and peered at the computer screen.
"Are they real?" Anna asked looking at Jess and Lindsey.
"They are very real," Abby told her, "Watch." Abby turned to the computer screen. "Show her a four, two, five sequence," Abby told them. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes Jess raised her hand and showed four fingers, then two, then five.
"Well hello girls," Anna said sitting down between Kate and Abby, "How have you been doing without Caitlin and Abigail?" Lindsey, Jess, and Kate did not have to look at Abby to know she cringed at the use of her first name. She always did.
"Well we are very lonely," Jess started, "but they have been keeping in touch."
"What have you been doing?" Abby asked.
"Well we have been hanging out at the pool a lot," Jess answered again.
"The same pool where Abigail slipped?" Anna asked, "Are you sure that is safe?"
There was dead silence. Anna had managed to use Abby's full name and mention the accident in the same sentence. No one knew how to respond to that. Jess and Lindsey had also registered that Anna thought Abby had fallen. This meant that Kate had given her, and probably the other members of the family as well, the official story. This had been derived making the incident less likely to trigger a speech from whoever heard about it. Neither Kate nor Abby wanted or needed a speech. They had learned their lesson and did not need to be reminded.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Abby said suddenly and left the room before anyone could protest. She knew that her friends would be able to work the situation better if she was not sitting there. Jess and Kate both looked to Lindsey to answer Anna's question because she was less likely to make a mess of it than Jess was.
"No we go to pool at one of our other friend's houses," Lindsey replied. It was not a completely lie they did swim in Danny's pool. Kate pulled out her phone and texted Abby 'you are going to want to see this.'
Abby came down the stairs in time to hear Anna ask, "What is this friend's name?"
"Danny," Jess replied trying to jump back into the conversation. Kate's eyes widened a little waiting for Anna's reaction.
"You are swimming alone with a boy?" Anna asked a little shocked.
"Danny is a girl," Lindsey explained quickly, "Danny is short for Daniela." She mentally filed this conversation on the list of conversations that she sincerely hoped Danny never found out about.
"Tell me about her," Anna requested leaning back in her chair. She was enjoying this immensely.
"She has the most beautiful blue eyes," Lindsey said starting to get the dreamy look she got when she talked about Danny for too long, but Jess kicked her under the table.
"She has shoulder length dirty blonde hair," Jess contributed, "And she wears the most beautiful dresses." Kate and Abby exchanged a look. They had forgotten that Jess and Danny had a running rivalry.
"Really," Anna asked interestedly, "What do these dresses look like? I am always trying to find new things to wear."
"Well one is a light pink with lace on it," Jess described, thinking of a similar dress she had seen in the window a few months back. Finally Lindsey could not take it anymore.
"We also hang out with her best friend," Lindsey told Anna suppressing a wicked smile, "Donita. She has the most beautiful, slightly wavy brown hair." Jess's glare told Lindsey that she had gotten her revenge. Kate and Abby exchanged another look then leaned back to watch what was now a fight to the death. They also both made mental notes to tell 'Daniela' and 'Donita' about this conversation…
Did you like it? I kind of liked the ending. Please tell me what you think. I would love to know. Please review.
