Chapter Twenty-Two

The kids were all excited over the new bikes that William and Jessica gave them. On Saturday everyone took off on their own adventures. William took Sydney in the family van to teach her how to drive. The kids went off on their bikes. William wasn't sure he liked the idea of the kids off on their own, he just hoped they remembered their bike safety lessons that he had insisted they take. He still had an unexplainable bad feeling that something was going to happen.

Evelyn took it upon herself to take Beverly with her. She had appointed herself Beverly's guardian ever since they started sharing a room together. Beverly wanted to go fishing, Evelyn took her to a little pond and while Beverly fished, Evelyn enjoyed the scenery. She especially liked the flowers that grew along the shore line and how Aura Skies looked so far away from where they were.

Beverly was glad that Evelyn agreed to take her fishing; although she was a little disappointed that Evelyn refused to fish with her. She even suggested she bait the hook for her when Evelyn said she thought it was gross but she still wouldn't try it.

After picking flowers for a while, Evelyn grew bored and wanted to go home.

"Bev are you done fishing yet?"

"Not really, they're just starting to bite now."

"How much longer?"

"If you want to go, go ahead I'll catch up" Beverly suggested.

"No I can't leave you by yourself. I promised Dad I would look out for you" Evelyn sighed sitting down in the grass, wishing she had thought to bring a book to read.

After a few minutes, Beverly decided to call it quits and gathered up her stuff. Walking over to where Evelyn was sitting she said "Ok I'm ready to go."

Evelyn looked at her in surprise "I thought you wanted to fish some more?"

"Yeah I do but I can fish at home."

"Are you sure? You didn't have to quit because of me."

"I know but you weren't having any fun. So I thought I would pack it in and go home."

When they got home, Beverly went off towards the shore line in the backyard. Beverly loved to fish and didn't really care where she fished, fishing gave her the only alone time she ever really got as no one else cared for it. Beverly thought that was funny since it seemed like everyone was in the Scouts and they taught you how to fish. 
 

Evelyn wanted to find Robert and found him quietly practicing chess by himself.

"Hey Robert want some company?" Evelyn asked before sitting down to play.

"Sure" Robert said "I've been working on a new strategy and this gives me a chance to see if it works."

"So in other words, you think you're going to win."

"Yep. Up for the challenge"

"Your on" Evelyn said taking the challenge.

Robert enjoyed playing chess with Evelyn. She was the only one who really challenged him and didn't pester him with questions. He played chess with Gene earlier that day but it really hadn't gone well. Gene kept trying to cheat and thought it funny every time Robert caught him at it.

"Gene chess is a game of strategy and logic not a game you can cheat to win."

"Wanna bet? I'll play chess my way and you play chess your way and we'll see who wins."

"Logic and strategy will always beat tricks and cheats" Robert said confidently.

Gene soon grew bored as he learned that he couldn't trick his way to winning the game. "This is stupid. Let's do something else."

"Do you admit defeat?"

"I'm not defeated. I just don't want to play any more."

Shrugging Robert said "Same thing. Quitters never win."

"Who said I was quitting?" Gene asked irritably

"You did" Robert said surveying the board the triumphantly announced "Check mate!"

"ARRRgh" Gene said as he knocked his arm across the remaining chess pieces on the board sending them flying as he got up from the board and left.

"Hey sore loser get back here and clean this mess up." Robert yelled at Gene's back as he stomped off pretending he didn't here. Gene hated to lose. He didn't understand why all his tricks worked on Casey but not on Robert. It should have worked, the little cheater Gene thought as he stomped off.

Gene needed something to do to entertain himself so he tried to play a trick on his Dad while they were playing rock, paper scissors. He thought it went over pretty well. His Dad certainly acted scared when he turned and growled at him. It was funny watching him cringe in fright.

William thought it funny the poor attempt Gene made at scaring him but he played along. He hoped he hadn't put it on too thick cringing the way he did but he figured it was the least he could do after witnessing Gene's defeat earlier at chess.

As it was getting late, Beverly decided to go home and swim in the pool. After swimming for a little while she heard her Dad call her name.

"Beverly, it's time for bed."

"Aw Dad just a little bit longer. Please!"

"No Sweetie. Tomorrows a big day. Remember you're going to the fair and you want to be able to keep up with the other kids, right?"

"Yeah I almost forgot. But I'm sure Evelyn will look out for me."

"I'm sure she will but you still want to be well rested so you can enjoy yourself."

"Ok, ok I'll get ready for bed" Beverly agreed.

After changing for bed, Beverly looked around for her parents to read her a bedtime story. But they must have already gone to bed as she couldn't find them. Instead she found Sydney exercising in the pool room. Not wanting to disturb her, she decided to just go to bed.

"Hey squirt, how's it going sharing a room with the Green Meanie?" Sydney asked.

"Ok I guess. But Evelyn's not mean." Beverly said standing up for her sister. "She was real nice to me today, taking me fishing even though she was bored."

"I guess she has her moments" Sydney agreed "Did you need something?"

"I was looking for Mom or Dad but I guess they went to bed."

"Or something. Best not disturb them" Sydney told her.

"Ok" Beverly sighed.

"Wait" Sydney said not believing she was going to do this but she felt rather bad after observing Beverly looking so dejected. "What do you need? May be I can help."

"Nothing really, I just um" hesitating to tell Sydney she wanted a bed time story read to her. She never knew when Sydney was in a good mood or not.

"Come on kid, spit it out" Sydney said impatiently.

"I wanted a bedtime story before I went to bed" Beverly finally blurted out.

"Is that all" Sydney said "Come on squirt I'll read you one."