Rose - Gen 2 Ch 3

Ronda has really popped out while I was gone. Mom and Daddy are thrilled about having a grandchild.

Today I was walking past Raven and Ronda's room, and heard loud animated whispers coming from the other side of the door. What's this? Trouble in love-bird land? Being the nosy person I am, I stopped to listen.

" NO, you listen to me, Raven. I can't take it anymore. Your dad is creeping me out. I refuse to raise our child in the same house! He will be a bad influence!"

"Just calm down a minute, dear. I know dad is a little bit quirky, but..."

"A LITTLE bit QUIRKY?" Ronda's voice rose in a strangled squeak. "Are you delusional? He is certifiable! Crazy!

Now, no one talks about my dad that way and gets away with it. I burst through the door.
"How dare you!" I would have slapped her but she looked ready to pop any minute.


Raven glared at me. Ronda looked ready to faint. "Don't get all upset, sweetheart, it's not good for the baby. We can move before the baby comes, if that's what you want." My brother is so wishy-washy. He lets Ronda lead him around by the nose.

Ronda sniffled a little and perked up at that. "I've been looking at a cute little place," she smiled a little. "Would you like to see it?"
I made both of them promise to never ever tell Mom and Daddy the real reason they are moving.

I had to agree, it was a cute little place. And as a side benefit, I get my room back!
the first thing I did was get rid of those awful dark red sheets Ronda had preferred, and replace them with my favorite pastel.

Raven and Ronda have a little girl. Mom spends most of her time over there now, helping out with little Judy.


Which leaves me to deal with Rayne. I swear, getting him to do his homework is like pulling teeth. Even when I help him, he struggles.

He'd much rather be working out with Dad's board breaker. Or painting, or really, pretty much about anything.

To top everything off, Rayne decided to quit his job at the bookstore. That's right, he just called me after school one day. "Hey sis, if you're looking for me, I'll be at the park, I quit my job." I really hope Mom starts spending more time at home, I can't handle this.


An upside to all this! Rayne has earned quite a following with his guitar. He says he makes more money playing at the park than he ever did at the bookstore.

At last Judy is growing up, and Mom is back home. Which is great timing, since I've been offered another photography job! Egypt this time, to take photos of the great pyramids. I had been secretly hoping to be sent back to France; I miss Gustave terribly. We talk on the phone all the time, but I haven't seen him since I left France. Anyway, when I told my dad, he refused to let me go to Egypt alone. "Too dangerous, sweetie, you can't trust anyone there. And there's not even a hotel. But I have some business to take care of there, how about I go with you?"

Dad was right about no hotel - we had to camp out next to the river.

"Dad!" I yelled, "Uhh, where's the shower?"

He just handed me a can of powder. "Here you go! Just sprinkle it on."

The first day of our trip, I headed off to see the pyramids, and Daddy said he would work on taking care of his business. But all he did all day was play chess with one of the locals.

The next morning, however he called to me as I was about to to off photo shooting.

"I could use your help with something, Rosie."

We ended up at the house of the local Daddy was playing chess with yesterday. Moussa, I think his name is. Daddy charmed him into letting us come in.

"This way, Rosie." Daddy whispered as he ducked down a hidden stairwell, into a dusty room lined with ancient books. "You watch and tell me if anyone comes."

"What are we looking for?" I whispered back. He described the documents he needed.

"Is this it?" I pulled a book off the shelves that looked older even than the rest.

"Perfect, sweetie! Now let's just walk out of here nonchalantly, and pretend we didn't find anything. My commander will be ecstatic! He's been looking for this information for years."

With his business concluded, Daddy spent the rest of our trip just hanging out at our campsite.

"What are you doing?" I asked him several times - I was curious about what he was up to.

All he would say was "Sea research." He winked mischieviously at me. "Very important stuff. Top secret."

I wasn't about to spend my time hanging around at camp. I wanted to take some photos of the market. Despite the warnings Daddy had given me about getting too friendly with the locals, I decided to get to know some of the merchants. The relic merchant, Faroud, is especially friendly, and even flirted with me a bit.

He beckoned me behind the market buildings. He is very handsome, and Gustave is so far away. Besides, we never made any promises to each other, I thought, albeit a little guiltily.

Suddenly, the air next to me started to shimmer, and ... "DADDY! What the... How did.... "
It seemed like magic, but I think it must have something to do with his "sea research."

My little tryst was over before it began. Daddy glanced around, blinking. He looked a little disoriented.

"Rosie...there you are. I thought you were in trouble, and then suddenly, here I am." He glared at Faroud.
"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Max, this is your daughter. I am very, very sorry, I did not know, I shall be off immediately." I never saw anyone run as fast as he did right then.

I was about to lose my temper very badly at my dad's interference, but he took my hand, and gently said," Rosie dear, I know Faroud from my last trip here, and believe me, you do not want to get involved with him.

Now come get in the truck, we have a plane to catch; its time to go home."