She'd checked on the kids before she'd come up here. Polly was buried beneath her blankets, propped up on three pillows and not a few stuffed animals, and snoring lightly. She'd had a cold lately, and Marianna kept forgetting to put the humidifier upstairs.
The twins were also sound asleep, in their respective bassinettes in the nursery. Jamie was fussy but quiet, and Amanda was assertive and noisy. The girls were bonding, Alan volunteered to play with Jamie all the time, and friends were always dropping by or taking "kid duty" at the Club.
The Club wasn't doing badly, either. After two months of bi-weekly shows, Pandora and George were ready to start on the next medium. KLPS-TV was giving them a prime spot: 8 pm Sunday nights. They had done their last live show last night-- SRO, and Mari had grossed twice-normal for a show night. Before the crowds subsided, she'd announced the dance contest and distributed entry forms. Now, it was a matter of time.
As the sun peeked over the building-tops, Marianna climbed down the lattice-work and into her bedroom. "Were you on the roof again?" came a sleepy voice as she ducked her head through the window.
"Yes," she replied. "I wanted to make sure I was awake today." "I was going to say, you're going to catch pneumonia, not to mention scandalize the neighborhood in that nightgown." Alan sat up and stretched. "Who are we picking up first?" "Ellie and Zachariah at the docks." "You're going to wear something more than that, right?" he asked, tugging on the flimsy nightgown that was clinging to her at the moment. "Then Dani at the airfield," she said, ignoring his comment. "Then breakfast with them at the new bakery on Surf Strip. Dream and UPChuck's plane will be in from Vail around lunchtime, but we're going to have to book to the Club to open. Marina's coming over to watch the kids," Mari paused to breathe as she got off the bed and headed to the closet- "and she'll be coming to the Club to waitress after lunch. The twins have to see the pediatrician at four-- you volunteered for that, and I want him to check on Polly's cold, too, her cough sounds bronchial. Don't let her talk you out of making her go, either. We're closing at midnight tonight unless another waitress materializes by ten. I can't keep up with the early-morning crowds by myself anymore, even if you're there. I'm gettin' old!" "No, you aren't. You're still my gorgeous girl." Alan was still in bed, while Mari had gotten dressed (jeans and her Sphere Archipelago t-shirt-- no sense in getting all fancied up for friends), and was brushing her hair. "And you're still my comatose bouncer," she grinned. "I'm going down to make coffee." "Mmm, coffee." Marina Nett had just gotten her license, and today she'd managed to wrangle the Mustang. Inda didn't like her to drive the fast cars, but she hated the Volvo. Everyone drove Volvos, and it was hard to find your own at the mall or downtown parking lots. The Mustang, on the other hand... that was a vintage vehicle, mint-condition, cherry-red, and with a leather interior that car buffs would say was like butter. Marina described it as "soft as parachute silk." She had drooled when she'd first seen it. Of course, she had been barely a year old at the time, but she'd always known mechanical beauty when she saw it. Now the Mustang purred down the blocks to the Osrics' house. It hadn't completely surprised her to find Polly with friends her own age when she'd come home from school. She herself had found new friends, both on Big Boat High and in Inda's neighborhood at home. Then there was Marty. She loved having a boyfriend, going out at night, or staying in and studying. They'd both opted out of another semester on the ocean, and Marty was staying with the Netts while they both attended Layla:) Public High. Marina had found her calling in computer programming (not surprising), and Marty was looking at law schools. LPH had given them the option of early graduation, at the end of junior year, but they'd declined. It would just be too awkward being the only freshmen at Layla:) University with a ten o'clock curfew. Marina pulled into the Osrics' driveway and turned down the CD she'd been listening to. Pure Moods was nice to wake up to, but some neighbors might not want to be woken up just yet. As she stepped out of the car, Marianna came out of the house. "Good morning!" "Morning, Marina. Thanks for helping out!" Marianna turned back to the house and shouted, "Alan! Get a move on!" She laughed. "Men. Honestly, sometimes I could just-- hey, sweetie," she said as Alan came outside. Marina grinned. "You're telling me? I live with my dad and my boyfriend!" "What's going on?" Alan asked. "Never mind. Marina, the twins are still asleep, but Polly's up and eating breakfast in the kitchen. We got doughnuts if you want some. Same rules as always. The cell phone number is on the fridge, and the car seats are in the garage." "And I'll report for work at one," Marina finished up. "Perfect," Mari said. "We're off like a prom dress!" "I wish you wouldn't say things like that," Alan groaned as they got into Mari's newest vehicle, a VW Bus. It wheezed into life and they sped away towards the docks on Surf Strip. The docks were abuzz with activity. A ship had come in earlier with a cargo of honey-- complete with bees. It was slow to unload, and the cargo docks were a crowded mess. The passenger docks, however, seemed a world away. The sun had warmed the beach, and while they waited for Ellie's cruise ship to appear on the horizon, Marianna waded in the shallows. Alan sat on a rock, eyes unfocused so he could watch Mari and the ocean at the same time. So situated, he let his mind wander. Could it really be just over a year ago that he'd stumbled into town, searching for a man wanted by just about everyone? The Feds wanted Pez in jail; crime bosses wanted him dead. (Daniela just wanted him, but that's another season.) Alan didn't care where Pez was, so long as he got his money. Now, after a near-arrest, a reversion to his legal name, and a shotgun wedding long in the making, he found himself exactly where he'd never expected to be: a family man in a suburban town. Oh, yes, he was a billionaire as well. But the money, he'd finally realized, was not the most important thing. What mattered most was the beautiful woman kicking at the waves, the babies asleep at home, the moody but adoring stepdaughter. And if sometimes he was overprotective of them all, it was only because he was new to this life, didn't know how to handle it-- was afraid of losing it. He and Marianna spotted the cruise ship at the same time, and he watched as she ran toward the jetty-- toward him-- staying in the water as long as possible. Settling down had been the most difficult move of his life, but losing what he now had would be even more difficult. He smiled and decided to hang on to it for a while. "There they are! Ellie! Over here!" Alan grinned across the pier at Zachariah as Marianna shouted and waved. Ellie ran toward them, pushing through the crowd, leaving Zachariah to carry their bags. "Augh! I missed you so much!" Mari cried as they hugged. "I missed you too! I have so much to tell you!" Ellie's hands were fluttering as she spoke; Mari vaguely recognized the sign language, but what she noticed first was in a more universal language. "Ellie, what is that on your finger?" she squealed as she saw the solitaire. "I know! He proposed on New Year's Eve, isn't that awesome?!" They were jumping up and down now, and people were starting to stare. Alan decided to help Zachariah bring the luggage to the car. "You missed Dream and UPChuck's wedding, and it snowed that day, and Daniela found Coli and Teff in New York and some new boyfriend... Torturo was a smash hit, 'Dora and George had a live show at the Club, and now it's going on TV, and... oh, Marina's back in town. You know Dori married Frogman, right?" Ellie nodded yes at this. "Unh... maybe that's it." "I missed your kid being born." "Ack! It was twins, El!" "Twins? Cool!" "James and Amanda. She was hiding behind him. We knew by the end of summer, but wanted to keep it secret." Mari grinned. "Life is gra-a-and, dah-link!" "Lovely, lovey," Ellie responded in kind. "Anything else I missed?" "Just try to catch up as you go along! I can't remember what you were and weren't here for." They'd worked their way to the car by now, where Alan already had the engine running. He and Zachariah were discussing the superior quality of Volkswagen vehicles, or maybe they were discussing Mari's choice of color for the Bus (cerulean). Mari and Ellie hopped into the back among the bags, and they were on their way to pick up Daniela. Daniela's plane had been fifteen minutes early, not unlikely because she'd been in the cockpit most of the way from New York, demanding that the pilot go faster. Now she was sitting among her bags, singing to herself and anyone who happened to pass by the terminal. An air traffic controller walked by for the third time, and Daniela decided she really needed a drink. She clasped her hands on her chest in a "helpless li'l me" manner, making sure to leave her most valuable assets in sight (her fingernails). She cleared her throat and said cutely, "Could I get a drink?" Her voice had just enough command in it to make the man turn. "Daniela DeSka?" he gasped. "Sure thing! Anything for the Dancin' Queen of Club Calypso! What would you like?" "A glass of water." "Okay." "In a real glass. Not paper. Breakable glass. With three ice cubes. Not crushed, not crescents: cubes. Three." The man blinked. "Yes, right away." He clicked his heels together for no apparent reason, turned, and departed to fulfill his duty. Yes! I've still got it! Dani thought to herself. It's good to finally be home! While she waited for her drink (not to mention her ride home), Daniela contemplated the past six weeks. Right after Dream and UPChuck had left for Vail, Daniela had boarded a plane to New York City. She'd planned on finding Coli on this vacation-- but wasn't sure why she was looking in NYC. Call it a hunch, but she'd discovered her Princesses, Coli and Teff, living in an eclectic flat in Greenwich Village-- with eight other people. They were waitressing, barely surviving, and completely miserable. Daniela was more than happy to rescue them. The moment she'd found them (just after New Year's-- they'd accidentally met in Times Square while Dani was interrogating Dick Clark) Daniela had sent them back to Layla:) to clean her house. Of course, they were thrilled! Daniela had stayed on in New York despite being terribly homesick. She still had to convince the boy she'd met Christmas Eve, Joey, to come home with her. She wasn't madly in love with him, of course, just thought he was cute. Besides, he didn't believe her stories about Layla:) and the Club. He also wasn't completely madly in love with her, which she found odd, to say the least. Finally, Joey had relented, but asked to come on a later flight. Daniela agreed, if only to make sure everything was the same at home as she'd left it. Things had a habit of changing rapidly in Layla:). She was on the next flight out of JFK, plus a ton or two of souvenirs. She was sitting on those souvenirs now-- piles of cheesy memorabilia for herself, and select gifts for her "peoples." For Marianna, she'd selected a floor tile from the Ed Sullivan Theatre that she claimed had "Paul McCartney vibes" emanating from it. For Tchadde, the autographs of a few cast members from CATS. She wasn't sure he'd love it, but he'd at least like it-- and appreciate the trouble she'd gone to. For Dava, she'd gotten a new crystal ball, found in a Wicca store near Coli and Teff's place. Dani had bought piles of t-shirts from the Hard Rock Cafe-- a matching pair for each married couple she knew. She hoped no one else had gotten married in six weeks. She'd tried to find something for Pandora, something 'Dora would like, but not something uncool. A foray into a vintage clothing store turned up exactly what Daniela had been searching for. She ended up buying half the clothing there, in her size, Mari's, and 'Dora's. But the piece de resistance was a gold lame dress that would hang well on Pandora's thin frame. It would also compliment her eterna-tan, as Dani had dubbed her little sister's skin color. And, thank the Gods, Pandora would finally have a party dress Dani approved of. Maybe she'd even wear it at one of her little shows at the Club. Daniela smiled broadly, characteristically not caring who saw her looking like a sentimental goober. Then she realized her drink hadn't come yet. The terminal's only warning was a low growl. Then Tropical Storm Daniela hit, full force. The Queen was home.