The warmth of Tuesday afternoon wraps around like a cozy blanket, accompanied by a soft, playful breeze. It's the ideal setting for a picnic, and Kendall is eagerly preparing for this cherished outing with Jo, a delightful tradition they share as a couple. In apartment 2J, he stands at the kitchen counter, a picnic basket waiting nearby. With a smile, he begins crafting the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that Jo loves so much. His attention is solely on the task at hand as he reaches into a drawer for a butter knife, blissfully unaware that he's being observed. Suddenly, Katie leaps out from her hiding spot beneath the counter, her voice booming as she roars in her Frankenstein mask. The unexpected scare catches Kendall off guard, but soon laughter erupts from him, much to Katie's dismay.
"Don't laugh! You're supposed to be terrified!" Katie protests, her disappointment evident.
Kendall chuckles, trying to contain his amusement. "I'm sorry, Katie. It's just not that frightening. Why are you wearing Carlos' Frankenstein mask? Halloween isn't for a while yet," he replies, still grinning.
"I'm just getting ready! When Halloween comes, I'll be scaring you, Carlos, Logan, and James out of your minds!" Katie insists, her frown deepening. "But I can't do that if you keep laughing at my efforts!"
"I apologize. You'll be a real fright in no time, but maybe you should choose a different target," Kendall suggests, placing the sandwiches into the picnic basket. "Anyway, I need to get going for my picnic with Jo. Why don't you check in on Tyler?" He leans down to kiss her forehead before heading out the door.
In Palm Woods Park, Jo spots Kendall approaching her, a picnic basket in hand and a broad grin lighting up his face.
"What's got you so cheerful?" she inquires, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"I can't stop thinking about this hilarious prank Katie pulled on me. It was a riot, but she got upset because I laughed," Kendall replies, his laughter bubbling up again.
"What did she do? Tell me about the prank!" Jo asks, as she helps him lay out the picnic blanket on the grass.
"I was busy making PB sandwiches in the kitchen, and while I turned my back to grab a butter knife, Katie decided to jump out from behind the counter wearing Carlos' Frankenstein mask to scare me. I was definitely surprised, but I wasn't scared at all. She got annoyed because she wanted me to be terrified, not amused. I asked her why she was trying to scare me when it's not even Halloween, and her response was classic ten-year-old logic: she's 'practicing for Halloween to scare the living daylights out of me, James, Carlos, and Logan.'" He sighs, a smile creeping back. "I told her to keep honing her skills but to pick a different 'victim' next time. She can be a handful, but I wouldn't trade being her big brother for anything."
Jo smiles, observing the bond between the boys and Katie. "It's adorable how much you all look out for her. By the way, does Carlos know she borrowed his Frankenstein mask for Halloween? I hope he won't be upset about it."
Kendall chuckles, shaking his head. "Nah, it's all good. He's totally fine with her using his things. Honestly, he can't stay mad at her for even a second. Just the idea of being angry with her makes him tear up. He never raises his voice or gets into arguments with her. When they disagree, he just brings out snacks, fires up some video games, and talks it out calmly. He once told me that if he ever felt the need to yell at her, he'd probably have a panic attack because his 'princesà' means too much to him. In short, he spoils her like crazy. Katie definitely listens to him and Logan way more than she does to me and James, which can be a bit frustrating at times."
"What's going on?" Jo inquires.
"I have a feeling that Katie prefers Logan and Carlos over me and James. It stings a bit, especially since I'm her actual brother. I've been there for her throughout her life," Kendall confides.
"Aw, Kendall, she adores you! She's incredibly fortunate to have Logan, James, and Carlos as her three additional big brothers," Jo reassures him.
"That's a fair point," Kendall acknowledges. "As James once remarked to my mother, living with Katie is not for the faint-hearted."
They share a laugh. "That's both amusing and spot on," Jo replies.
Logan strolls by, beaming as he spots them.
"Hey there, what are you up to on this splendid afternoon?" Kendall asks.
"With this gorgeous sunny weather, I've decided it's the ideal moment to test my latest update on BuddyBot. I've designed a small patch on his head to harness solar energy for optimal performance," Logan explains.
Kendall tilts his head in confusion. "I genuinely want to understand what that means because I'm completely lost," he admits.
Logan sighs. "The small patch is essentially a solar panel. You know those large ones you see on eco-friendly buildings? They capture energy from the sun's rays. The one on BuddyBot operates on a smaller scale but functions in the same manner. I need to test it to see if it works, so I'm searching for the sunniest spot in Palm Woods Park," he elaborates.
"Oh, well, I believe the sunniest areas are typically near the wishing well. Didn't your brilliant mind figure that out yet?" Kendall teases.
"Come on, Kenny, I'm not a meteorologist! I conducted an analysis of Palm Woods Park to identify all the sunlit areas, but they change with the sun's position and any clouds that might be in the way. My brain has its limits," Logan retorts.
"Alright, alright. No need to get worked up. I apologize for assuming you'd know everything," Kendall concedes.
"No worries! Have a great time with the rest of your picnic. Jo, did you bring the frisbee? That guy can really throw! The last time we played, I ended up flat on my back because the frisbee hit me right in the nose, like a dart hitting its mark," Logan chuckles.
"I'm really sorry about that, a million times over," Kendall replies, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
"I get it. It's just one of those memories that sticks with you. I wasn't trying to bring it up to make you feel bad, just a heads-up to be cautious when playing frisbee with Jo," Logan explains.
"Don't sweat it, Logan! I'm a pro at catching things. My dad taught me how to catch a ball when I was five, so I think catching a frisbee will be a piece of cake," Jo assures him confidently.
"Good point! Catch you later, guys," Logan says as he strolls away.
After discovering the wishing well, Logan spots a sunny patch and gently places BuddyBot on the grass. He carefully angles the solar panel to capture as much sunlight as it can for optimal performance. Eager to see how it responds, he inputs a few commands remotely from his iPad. BuddyBot performs admirably until a thick cloud drifts in, blocking the sun and causing him to topple over. Logan lets out a sigh but feels a sense of satisfaction with the day's achievements. He heads inside the Palm Woods and makes his way to Apartment 2J, where he types up a detailed account of the day's events on his laptop.
Later that evening, he shares his experience with the other boys.
"So, a big cloud blocked the sun so effectively that BuddyBot's solar panel shut down? What are your plans to tackle that issue?" Kendall inquires.
"I think I'll need to choose a day with clear skies to ensure BuddyBot gets the best sunlight for my experiments. I'm really proud of the progress I made today. BuddyBot performed wonderfully," Logan replies.
"Too bad he's not cinnamon," Carlos chimes in.
"Cinnamon? That's a spice, Carlos. What do you mean by that?" Logan asks, puzzled.
"You know, sent ment," Carlos stumbles over his words.
"Oh, you mean sentient?" Logan clarifies.
"Yeah. I just don't get it. I try to use big words like you guys, but I always mess them up. I feel like if I had a cool vocabulary like yours, I'd sound smarter," Carlos admits, looking a bit downcast.
"Aw, Carlos, you don't need to use fancy words to be smart. You're already plenty smart on your own. I really admire how hard you work to expand your vocabulary. Keep at it! And you're right, if BuddyBot were sentient, that would be amazing. Maybe one day I'll have the technology to make that happen," Logan encourages.
