Chapter 8

The very mean Jennifer lady is forcing us to clean the kitchen with a toothbrush. I look at Zarika but she glares at me when I question, "Zarika, I think the two of us could attack the mean Jennifer lady."

Zarika doesn't respond, I hear a zing and feel one of the rubber bands as it hits me and raises another red spot on my beautiful skin. The very mean Jennifer lady orders, "I said no talking and that's what I mean."

I begin to cry and the very mean Jennifer lady yells, "Mess with me and you'll pay the price."

Zarika
I am very angry at Yasmeen! She has gotten the Jennifer lady very upset at us. This is all her fault and I will find some way to make her pay.

Present – Liz – At the cabin

I wander back into the kitchen after finally getting all the food out of my hair and Jens (who is still a huge mess) still has the two brats working. I walk over and say, "So when are you going to clean up?"

She replies, "After these two learn the lesson about having a food fight in my kitchen."

Yeah, Yasmeen yelled something at Ira then threw her whole plate of food which surprised the hell out of all of us and totally covered Ira. Alexi retaliated by smashing his plate in Yasmeen's face and accidentally got some on Zarika so Zarika also retaliated. I was shocked that Mira and Ira even got in on the 'fun.' I thought those two were more mature, but I guess Ira was damn insulted by Yasmeen.

I asked, "But toothbrushes on the floor, isn't that going a little too far?"

She smiles and answers, "Not really. I want those two to understand who's the alpha bitch in this house. Besides they're almost done. You might want to get to sleep since O-four-hundred comes early tomorrow."

I glare at Jens and complain, "Don't tell me we're all falling out for PT?"

She grins and replies, "Okay, I won't tell you."

I rethink my previous joy at having Jens back - crap, I might have liked the old slightly crazy Jens a little bit better. But I reply, "Okay I'm hitting the sack."

Present – Ira and Mira – At the cabin

I traverse the floor and complain, "I can not believe what that annoying little female saluki called me and did to me."

Mira states, "Calm yourself my sister, once again the two of us fighting as a team prevailed."

I pause, grin and correct, "You mean the three of us! Did you observe Alexi? He will be quite a formidable young warrior with proper guidance."

Mira fully-glee giggles, "Yes my sister Ira! I stand corrected and I share your feelings. That reminds me, Ms. Donaldson says we are all 'falling out for PT at O-four-hundred' tomorrow. This will be an excellent start to his training, but we should acquire our rest."

She smiles at me, comes to bed and for the first time in a very long time I sleep like the angels while embraced by my sister Ira...

Present – Thom and Byron – At the cabin

Thom complains, "Just look at the mess your girls made of my clothes."

I counter, "My girls, they sure as hell aren't my girls."

Too late I realize I was baited when Thom laughs, "Excuse me, I meant you and your wife Mira's girls."

I flip him off, roll over and say, "I can't wait to see how bad your ass is going to be dragging tomorrow during Jennifer's PT."

Thom swears, "Damn, I have to figure out some way around that BS. I did all the PT I needed to do in the Army.

Now it's my turn so I counter, "Well you have put on some weight and could stand the exercise."

He complains, "Shut up and go to sleep."

Present – Linus and Maria – At the cabin

I didn't mind the food fight since it gave us both a chance to 'clean up' together in the shower. We were finally both clean and tired when we hit the sack. Maria's cuddling with me and I remind her, "You said you had something to tell me earlier?"

She smiles, tells me and I ... I ... I can't believe it...

Present – Jack and Masha – At the cabin

It took forever to clean up, but I can't complain too much. Masha got Vanya cleaned up first, then came into the shower and ... Well I sure as hell don't kiss and tell!

We're holding each other in bed and Masha says, "Jack I have one more very important piece of information."

I reply, "Masha, I don't care what you did in your past."

Then she drops the bombshell, "Well, do you care about us having another baby?"

I'm suddenly sitting up in bed, turn on the light look at her and ask, "Are you serious?"

She smiles and states, "Yes Jack, you are going to be a father again."

I hug her and yell, "Wow I'm going to be a father again! I hope it's a girl this time and that she looks just like you."

She moves back against me and states, "Yes Jack, God has blessed us again."

Present – Matt, Jim and Bernie – At the cabin

I complain, "That was a terrible night."

Jim agrees, "Hell yes it was! Did you see all that good food that was wasted?"

I laugh, "But the look on Jens' face was priceless."

Jim laughs, "Yeah it was but what about her 'punishment'."

It's my turn to laugh and I answer, "Yeah but somehow I don't think those two girls have learned their lesson yet."

Jim questions, "So when's your wife coming?"

I answer, "Tomorrow."

He laughs, "Well it will be good to be in the room with just Bernie. Maybe he doesn't snore as much as you."

I laugh, "Yeah look who's talking."

Bernie complains, "You both need to get some sleep."

The next morning

Present – Yasmeen and Zarika – At the cabin

Yasmeen
It seems like my head just touched the pillow when the door to our room flies open. The lights are flipped on, there is this loud horn that scares me and I fall out the bed!

The very mean Jennifer lady yells, "You two have twenty minutes to get into these clothes and be outside."

I look over and see Zarika is out of her bed in her fighting stance. She looks at me and says, "Yasmeen, you need to get ready."

I roll back over and state, "I will not because I have not had sufficient beauty sleep."

Zarika

Yasmeen is going to make another mistake with the Jennifer lady and this time I am going to make sure to distance myself from her. I understand that getting the Jennifer lady upset is not wise. I begin to dress in these funny clothes and go outside. When I arrive outside it is still dark and the air is very cold but I do see the Liz lady, I walk towards her and she questions, "How was your wakeup call?"

I reply, "I understand not wakeup call."

The Liz lady answers, "The way Jens woke you up."

I complain, "Nice it was not." And shiver...

Present – Liz – At the cabin

Yeah I knew better after being with Jens and Ben at her parent's house to let Jens wake me up. So I set two alarm clocks and put one on the dresser where I would have to get out of bed. And the sneak came into my room with a damn air horn. When she saw I was up I laughed, "Yeah there's no way in hell I was letting you wake me up."

She grinned, honked the horn anyway and laughed, "Yeah Ben taught both of us the price for sleeping in."

I question, "Are you doing this to Byron and Thom because it might give them a heart attack?"

She grins, "Hell yes - there are no favorites around here!"

She leaves and I shake my head, yeah the slightly crazy Jens had some benefits – like sleeping in. I get dressed and go outside to wait.