Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Downtime with “family”.

 

 

 

“Kai!” Cam bellowed from the living room. He couldn’t believe it. She had betrayed his trust. His heart felt torn from the betrayal she had so blatantly committed with her sweet smile plastered across her face.

“Yes, Cameron?” Kailah asked coming back from the kitchen.

She looked at him with her head slightly tilted to the left, her eyes innocently concerned.

“What is that?!” Cam pointed at the thing on the back of the couch.

“It’s a kitty cat.” Kailah replied slowly like she would to a little child.

“I’m not stupid, I can see that.” Cam retorted to her tone, “I mean to say, what the hell is it doing here?”

“Um…” Kailah glanced around him at the black cat sleeping peacefully on the back of the couch, “Looks like he’s asleep.”

“Why is it here?” Cam gritted his teeth searching for patience.

“Well,” Kailah began, “when I went to the market the other day it started raining.”

“Never mind that reason, why did you bring it here?” Cam cut her off.

“Because he needed a home.” Kailah stated crossing her arms.

“I hate cats. Get rid of it.” Cam demanded placing his hands on his hips.

“No.” Kailah replied tilting her head back slightly.

Cam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; because his eyes were closed he didn’t see the amused smile flicker across Kailah’s face. When he looked back at her she had the same indignant rebellious look on her face.

“Kai, we don’t need a cat. We won’t be here enough to take care of it, and I’m not going to make somebody check on it while we’re off on contracts.” Cam said trying to be calm and reasonable.

The two of them had returned from Xerkieda's little Zone mission three months ago and had been on four other, less life threatening, contracts since. Maltoris had graciously given them the rest of the month off.

“But, Fudgums doesn’t have anywhere else to go.” Kailah said in a small voice walking over to the cat.

As Cameron mouthed the cat's name she scooped him up in her arms and the thing just oozed into a comfortable position. He opened one lazy green eye, yawned, and went back to sleep. Cam shivered in revulsion.

“I’m gone for all of three days and you pick up an evil little flea bag to replace me!” Cameron groaned.

“His name is Fudgums, honestly you’re acting like a jealous child.” Kailah walked towards Cam extending the rather annoyed cat, “He’s a sweety pie, here hold him.”

“No.” Cam held up his hands in front of him like he was trying to fend off evil.

Fudgums just hung there with his ears back in annoyance.

The tea pot whistled from the kitchen and Kailah shoved Fudgums into Cam’s outstretched hands, “Here take him.”

She ran to the kitchen to take the kettle off the stove and Cam was left holding Fudgums. Cam stared into Fudgums’ bright green eyes. The cat stared at him in annoyance while it still hung there. Cam couldn’t move till the cat meowed at him to be put down causing him to drop the cat in surprise. Fudgums shook himself then went back to the couch to sleep.

Cam sighed and rubbed the back of his head with his hand, “We still can’t keep the cat, Kai. There’s no one to look after it.”

There was a knock on the door and Cam went to answer, “Hel-ugh”

Three heads about midsection height hit him in the pit of his stomach and high pitched squeals of “Uncle Cam!” came from them.

“Oh no! It’s attack of the midgets!” Cam cried in mock fear as he stumbled back away from the door. The three hoodlum boys went with the flow and attacked him, the eldest hung on Cam’s middle while the two twins each grabbed an arm.

“Alright you three, don’t break Uncle Cam.” Skiff ordered following his three boys in. He had a baby boy in his arms and the biggest grin on his face.

“Skiff! Is that the new one?” Cam asked shaking the three boys off carefully.

“Yeah that’s Dom.” Piped one of the twins, it was either Vish or Vash, Cam couldn’t tell the two apart.

“Hey buddy.” Cam coed at little Dom over Skiff’s shoulder, "You're so tiny!"

“Dad, did Uncle Cam react like this when he saw me for the first time?” The eldest boy, Kale, asked staring at Cam in ten year old revulsion.

Skiff laughed, “You should have seen him with the girls. Speaking of, where’s Viska and your mother?”

“Coming.” Morsha’s voice called from the hallway as she rounded the corner into the room trailed by the fifteen year old and three four year old girls. Morsha was a cute petite lady with long brown hair and hazel eyes. The stress of eight children and a husband only enhanced her beauty by maturing her thirty-two year old looks. As far as Cameron was concerned she looked amazing having just given birth two weeks prior.

 The triplets took after their mother but the eldest daughter Viska looked more like her daddy, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

“What you think Cam?” Don asked coming in after the girls. His usually spiky black hair slicked back. His grey eyes danced in merriment as he smiled down at the baby.

“Hey lemme’ see!” Kailah called running over to see the new baby, “Awe, he’s so cute!” Kailah squealed in female delight.

“Kitty-cat!” the triplets squealed when they caught sight of Fudgums.

“Where?” The twins asked in unison then followed the triplets to see him.

“Um, Cam, when did ya’ll get a cat?” Don asked looking at Cam in confusion, "And what possessed you?"

“That would be me.” Kailah replied softly still cooing at baby Dom.

“The discussion is tabled for the moment.” Cam rallied to Don and Skiff’s smirks.

“Kailah dear, I brought some veggies from the garden may I use your kitchen?” Morsha asked as she headed there.

“Oh, yes of course.” Kailah said following her back to the kitchen, “Gotta finish lunch anyways.”

“Viska come help, please dear.” Morsha called over her shoulder to her.

“Yes, mom.” Viska replied.

“Boys, watch the rest of the kids.” Morsha said to Skiff, Cam, and Don as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Don walked over to supervise the children with the cat, “ Cera, Sora, and Zarrah, don’t pull the cat’s tail.” Fudgums just laid there and took the abuse.

A knock came from the door and Cam went to answer it again. The scowl of annoyance on Esma’s face was almost as forceful as the stomach full of children.

“Esma and Chelry! Come in come in.” Cam stepped back with a flourish letting the small woman in followed by the giant.

“Uncle Chel!” the twins and triplets cried running over and jumping into Chelry’s arms. Esma’s scowl softened as she smiled at the children.

“Hey, munchkins.” Cherly laughed hugging them all at once in his big embrace. The kids laughed at the way his beard tickled their faces.

“Hey, Chelry.” Skiff smiled shaking his hand.

“Oh, this must be Dom.” Chelry said smiling at the little baby sleeping in his daddy’s arms unaffected by the squeal of delights from the other children as Esma handed out candy to them.

Cam smiled in amusement at the change in attitude of Esma when she was around children. He had been brave enough to ask her once why she was different around children and her reply had been, “Because they’re children.”

Every time she met Skiff’s kids she always brought some kind of candy with her to give them.

“Where are Kailah and Morsha?” Esma asked as the kids went back to climbing on Chelry and poking the cat.

“Kitchen.” Cam indicated with his thumb over his shoulder.

Esma nodded and headed to the kitchen to greet the girls.

“How was the trip to the south?” Don asked Chelry as he sat down on the left couch.

 Skiff and Cam sat on the other couch and Chelry sat back onto the floor with a couple of the children in his lap. The twins along with one of the triplets went back to tormenting Fudgums.

Chelry shook his head, “We saved as many as we could but the epidemic wiped a lot of villages out. We got it stopped at the border to Central but I’ve had my fill of corpses for a lifetime.”

“Are you two on leave for a while?” Cam asked him as he got up and let Fudgums escape into Kai’s room to the protest of the children.

“What’s an edimic?” One of the girls in Chelry’s lap asked.

“It’s when a lot of people get the same sickness, Zarrah.” Skiff replied from where he sat rocking Dom in the chair.

She nodded her head in four year old understanding and went back to playing with her doll. Cam was baffled how Skiff could tell any of his kids apart.

"For a week or so," Cherly answered Cam's question, "unfortunately we'll be sent to the Southernlands."

Cameron nodded soberly, "I've heard they had been hit the hardest. Councilman Trep is doing a fair job of keeping the public from panicking."

Chelry nodded sagely as a heavy silence settled on the room. One of the triplets in his lap looked around at the silent adults. Becoming bored she got up to join her brothers playing on the other side of the room.

“So when are you going to settle down, Don?” Chelry cleared his throat trying to change the mood.

Don laughed, “And leave all the beautiful lonely ladies of the world without my charm?”

“What charm?” Viska scoffed as she came in from the kitchen carrying a tray of drinks, “All you do is flirt.”

“Thanks, dear.” Skiff smiled as she placed a glass on the table in front of him.

“That’s not all I do, Kiddo.” Don retorted accepting a glass from her, “But I won’t discuss the finer details of my business with a fifteen year old.”

Viska blushed bright red and headed off back to the kitchen after she had finished passing out drinks. Don smirked into his cup as he took a sip.

“You shouldn’t tease her so much, Don.” Cam said pulling his legs up so one of the triplets could crawl through. The kids had gotten bored climbing on Chelry and had moved on to noisier adventures.

“Hey, settle down.” Skiff commanded and immediately the volume toned down.

“Dad, could we go play in the courtyard?” Kale asked with the twins behind him, their six year old faces full of bright shining hope.

“Yes, as long as you behave and keep together. Stay in the courtyard. The Trips are going with you.” Skiff said calling after the boys as the three girls followed after them.

“Brought some snacks for ya’ll.” Viska said coming back from the kitchen. She carried a tray with small cake slices on plates.

True to fifteen year old girl stubbornness she passed out all the plates to everybody else but Don.

“Where’s mine?” Don asked in a whiny voice as Viska headed back for the kitchen. Viska stuck her tongue out at him over her shoulder and kept walking. The rest of them laughed at Don’s dumbfounded face.

“Told ya.” Cam teased eating some of his.

“How old are you now, Don?” Chelry asked chuckling in merriment.

“I’ll make twenty in the fall. Why?” Don asked taking a bite from Skiff’s plate.

“Skiff, how old is Viska?” Cam asked slyly watching Don’s reaction.

“She’s fifteen, will be sixteen in the summer.” Skiff replied slapping Don’s hand away from his plate.

“That’s how many years difference, four, right Chelry?” Cam mused turning to Chelry, “That’s a normal range right?”

“Oh, yea, I’ve even heard ‘em of being over ten years.” Chelry replied going along with Cam’s scheme.

“What are you two getting at?” Don asked warily.

“You don’t have to worry about it, cause there ain’t no way in hell I’m going to let THAT happen.” Skiff interrupted looking sternly at Cam and Chelry. Both of whom laughed while Don sat in befuddlement at the joke he clearly missed.

 Viska came back into the room carrying a plate, “Here since mom said you sounded so pitiful.”

Don laughed, “That’s what I thought.”

“Go ahead, eat it.” Viska said slyly, “I dare you.”

Don had the fork half-way to his mouth and looked up as Viska walked off. He looked back at the cake slice and then at Skiff’s then back at his. He made a decision and switched them. The rest of them laughed at him.

 

“So how long have you had a crush on Don, Viska?” Kailah asked her when Viska came back in.

“What?” Viska blushed bright red, “I-I, I don’t know what you’re talking about Kailah.”

Morsha chuckled while Esma and she shelled peas, “About a year ago, is when I first noticed it.”

“Mom!” Viska shrilled turning from the pot boiling on the stove.

“Oh, and let me guess, he doesn’t have a clue.” Kai smirked as she added some veggies to the pot. Glancing out the window she saw the rest of the children playing tag with some soldiers who were off duty.

“Course not.” Viska snorted, “He’s about as sensitive as a doorknob.”

“Who’s sensitive?” Don's sudden query made them all jump slightly.

Don put the empty plates in the sink, oblivious to their glances, “Hey, when’s lunch?”

He walked over and peered over Viska’s shoulder, “Whatchya cookin?”

“Poison, now go away.” Viska aimed an elbow at his stomach.

He dodged her elbow, laughing, "When will it be ready?" Don moved out of Kailah’s way when she motioned with the cutting knife.

“At lunch, you still got about an hour to go, so go entertain yourself out of the kitchen.” Kailah replied shooing him out.

He snatched up a carrot as he walked out smirking at Viska’s cries of protest.

“I swear that man needs to grow up a little.“ Viska sighed turning back to the pot.

 

“I swear that girl needs to lighten up a little.” Don sighed chomping down on the carrot. He sat back down on the couch and picked up the cards Cam had dealt out.

“They said it’ll be ready in about an hour.” Don said around the carrot he had clenched in his teeth like a cigar. Skiff came back from Cam’s room where he had put Dom down to sleep, leaving the door cracked. Cam snorted in amusement as he changed out some of his cards.

Fudgums strolled out of Kailah’s room and hopped onto the couch next to Cam. He stretched then curled up next to him, not quite touching but close to it.

Don laughed, “I don’t think you’re going to get rid of the cat, Cam.”

“Watch me.” Cam said not even glancing up from his cards, “Kai can fuss all she wants to, but I have the final say.”

Skiff laughed, “Oh you have so much to learn about women my young friend.”

“We’re not that hard to understand.” Kailah interrupted before Cam could say anything. She pet Fudgums over the back of the couch and he purred in happiness.

Kailah glanced at Cam’s hand, “I wouldn’t play that.”

“I’m quite capable of winning, as long as I’m not playing against you.” Cam retorted but changed his play anyways.

Kailah smiled, “Sure.”

“So, Kailah, what made you choose this pathetic loser as a partner?” Don asked changing out a card.

“I’m not as pathetic as you, buddy.” Cam retorted, “And you really don’t ‘choose’ your partner, per say. It just kinda happens.”

Kailah didn’t say anything as the children came back from their excursions outside disrupting the card game. Cam noticed she had gone sullen but didn’t pry. Ever since they finished Xerkieda's contract she had taken to deep thought more often than not. Cam was also being shown a very interesting beetle at nose range by very excited twins.

The laughter of the children snapped Kailah from her thoughts as Morsha called for everyone to come get it.

“Vash, come here, let me wipe your face.” Kailah laughed catching one of the twins as they zoomed by.

Vish stopped too and let her wipe his face as well and the two then continued on to the food.

“How can you tell them apart?” Cam asked Kailah as Morsha and Esma dished out the food to the children and Viska got them situated around the table.

Kailah shrugged, “I dunno.”

Cam laughed as Viska put a napkin on top of Don’s head as she was handing them out. When she passed back by Don popped her in the butt with it, laughing. He stopped when he realized the Trips were glaring at him. He then got popped on the back of the head by Viska to the cheers of the children.

The rest of the evening went with laughter and fun for the whole group. Skiff convinced Morsha to sing for everyone and even got Viska to do a number with her. Don played the guitar he had brought with him and Viska sang along with his playing.

Esma and Chelry left first followed soon by Skiff and his family. Don left with them carrying the twins who had passed out along with the Trips.

“Goodnight, you two. See ya again sometime.” Skiff said over his shoulder as he left with Kale in tow and Dom in his arms. Kale had one of the triplets on his back.

“Be safe going home guys.” Cam said as Viska and Morsha left carrying the other two girls.

“Night, guys.” Don said as he walked out after them.

Cam could hear their voices get fainter as they went further down the corridor, he could make out Don picking on Viska and her angry retorts. He chuckled as he shut the door. He turned to see Kailah asleep on the couch curled into a ball with Fudgums on top of her.

“Hey, get, evil thing.” Cam shooed Fudgums off. The cat looked at him and plopped onto the floor and then into the chair.

Cam shook Kailah’s shoulder, “Hey, Kai, you’re gonna get a crick in your neck if you sleep here.”

Kailah didn't even stir. Cam sighed as he scooped her up and carried her to her room. He set her gently on her bed and pulled the covers up over her.

Cam smiled as she mumbled softly then drifted back to sleep. As he left her room Fudgums sauntered passed. He could have sworn the cat turned and smirked at him as the door closed, but he put it down to fatigue. Cam shook his head as he went to his own room and passed out from the excitement of the day.

Reviews

[Wolven]

Okay... here goes...

I completely and utterly sympathize with Cameron with regards to the cat. Was it really necessary?
(Admittedly, for being a git, I can allow myself to laugh at his misfortune though).

Viska and Don's relationship as always is a good laugh. I remember this chapter from a while ago actually. I'd forgotten the names of the triplets, and I was half expecting one to be called 'Zora.'

As a filler chapter, its good, but there are some underlying themes which i note are pretty good. That point where Chelry and the lads are talking about the political agenda in the southernlands i think gave a real foreboding sense to the story, which is excellent if you know where you're going with it.

As always, Nicely done Dreamer. I eagerly anticipate your future chapters. :)