Generation 2, Chapter 34

"Oh honey, is that what's bothering you?" Robert asked in concern. He knew there would be repercussions to what she had witnessed that night. Pulling her close he wished he could take all the fear and pain away.

Nodding her head Jennifer clung to her dad. "I keep thinking the bad people are coming back but this time I'm not here."  She turned pleading eyes up at her dad "please don't make me go back.  I want to stay here with you."

"Jen I know what happened was terrible and frightening but we can't live in fear ....."

"Are you afraid too?" Jennifer asked in a surprise.  She had never imagined her dad was afraid of anything.  She used to think that no one could hurt her daddy but then the bad people came.

"Everyone is afraid of something," Robert stopped a moment to consider his words carefully "even the bad people."

"They are?" she asked "of what?"

"They're afraid of getting caught and being put in jail for the things they've done," Robert explained.

"So they won't come back?" she asked in wide-eyed wonderment "because they're afraid."

"That's right.  So we don't have to worry about them coming back," Robert smiled down at her.  He knew he had over simplified things but the chances of them coming back now that the man had what he wanted was remote at best.

"But other bad people might come."

"Honey I won't lie to and say nothing bad will ever happen again because I can't.  However we have to live our lives like it won't." Robert looked down at her wondering what he could do or say to help her.  "These last few weeks haven't been any fun have they?"

Shaking her head "No," she mumbled. "I thought if I gave the teacher a hard time it would be fun.  At first it was because everyone laughed.  That made me laugh and I liked laughing more than worrying. It seemed like I had to do more and more things to get the same feeling.  But underneath it all was this worry that you needed me and I couldn't get it to go away no matter what I did."

"How about I get you a phone so that you can call me whenever you need reassurance that I'm ok.  Do you think that will help?"

"My own phone?  I'd be the only kid in class with one."  She nearly bounced in excitement.

"Don't get too excited," Robert told her firmly "the phone comes with conditions.  You can only use it if you ask your teacher for permission first.  You have to stop disrupting class so the teacher can teach and you have to do and turn in your homework."

"That's a lot of rules," Jennifer mumbled.

Lifting her chin up so she would look at  him Robert asked "Do you think you can follow them?"

Nodding "I guess so.  I think I can.  I'll try," was her muddled agreement.

That's all I ask is that you try." Robert gave her a hug "now do you have homework?"

Rolling her eyes she got up and retrieved her backpack from where she had tossed it.  Joining her sister on the floor she started her homework.  Robert smiled hoping this would help but if it didn't he might have to follow the teachers advise that she see a therapist.

***

"Dad do you have to go to work today?" Diana asked.

"Yep," Robert responded distracted with his newest manuscript.  It was almost ready to submit to his publisher.  He was marginally optimistic that this book would be success.  Adsorbed in his work he barely noticed when Diana walked away, a dreamy look upon her young face.

Racing downstairs she found her sister playing a video game "Rudy is coming to babysit us," she announced excitedly.

"So?" Jennifer asked.

"He's so cute," Diana enthused.

"Ugh...gross," Jennifer frowned "he's a dweeb."

"He's not," Diana protested "he's nice."

Laughing at her little sister Jennifer paused her game "he's only nice because he's getting paid, you moron."

"You're just jealous because he doesn't like you," Diana retorted.

"Oh please ... you can have him," Jennifer responded back. "This is stupid, fighting over something that will never happen.  He's much too old for either one of us.  There would be something seriously wrong with him if he actually liked a five year old."

Stomping her foot Diana ran from the room screaming.

A few minutes later Robert came downstairs in his chef's outfit.  Sitting beside Jennifer he silently watched her play.  "What happened between you and Diana?" he asked.

Shrugging Jennifer looked away from her game "I told her she didn't have a chance with Rudy."  She looked at her dad and rolled her eyes at his dumbfounded face and elaborated "you know the babysitter. She's like gaga over him."

"Oh right." Robert mumbled thinking his girls were a bit young to start crushing on boys.  Evidently he was wrong if what Jennifer was telling him was true.  Come to think of it Diana did tend to act differently whenever that boy came around.  Shaking his head he wondered why kids were always in such a hurry to grow up.

Jennifer smiled at him "don't worry dad the only guy in my life is you."

"Thank you sweet heart," he smiled at her knowing one day that would change.  "Give your sister some slack, ok? No one likes to be told they're an idiot because they like someone.  Just keep an eye on her so that she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Dad that's impossible.  She's always doing something stupid."

"Jennifer you know what I mean.  Don't forget that just because you don't like the same things as  it she does it doesn't make her stupid.  Diana doesn't like video games but she doesn't call you stupid because you do," Robert pointed out.

Rolling her eyes "whatever dad.  She knows better then to say anything about my games."

"I'm sure she does.  Just be nice she looks up to you."

"Yeah, yeah I'm the role model and all that jazz," she smiled up at her dad.  "Don't worry dad I won't make her cry anymore today.  I promise."  At his look of consternation she waved her hands at him "I don't know about tomorrow though.  I just don't know what idiotic thing she'll come up with by then."

Laughing despite his efforts not to.  Robert let her shoo him off as he realized he needed to leave for work.  He met Rudy as he was coming up the sidewalk.

"Evening Mr. Bennett," he said politely.

"Evening Rudy," Robert said in passing.  Robert couldn't help but think Rudy was a good kid despite his absolute lack of any fashion sense.  

***

Sitting down Rudy picked up a controller "let's finish our game," he suggested to Jennifer.

Smiling a little "are you ready to lose?" Jennifer asked as she changed the game.

"I'm the grand master.  I can't lose," he told her in mock seriousness.

Rolling her eyes as she sat down beside him "you've asked for it now."

Diana came downstairs excited to see Rudy.  Her smile wobbled and disappeared as she watched Rudy joke around with her sister.  What was up with that?  Didn't Jennifer just tell her she wasn't interested in him?  Marching over to the TV she stood in front of it hands on hips.  

"Hey what's the big idea?" Jennifer asked looking at her sister "get out of the way.  I'm about to beat Rudy's butt."

"In your dreams.  I won't lose to no girl not even a pretty one."  Rudy laughed as he leaned over to see around Diana's immobile stance.  "Take that girlie ... I win," he gloated.

"No fair Diana was in the way," Jennifer jumped from the couch to confront her sister.  "I was winning until you showed up," she glared at Diana.

Diana pointed at Rudy "you said you didn't like him.  You lied."  She stomped her foot.

"I don't you moron," Jennifer yelled back "We were only playing a game ...."

"Cool it you two," Rudy began only to be glared at by both upset girls.

"No one asked you," Diana glared at the boy.

"Hey it's not my fault you both find me irresistible.  Don't feel bad though, I'm too cool for either one of you," Rudy smirked down at them.

Turning to Diana Jennifer smiled "did you hear that Di?  He's too cool for us."

"I heard it but I don't believe it," Diana put an arm around her sister.  "We're the ones too cool for him."

"Yeah he doesn't even know how to dress," Jennifer pointed at him "just look at that outfit."

Smiling broadly Diana continued "and that hat .... gross.  Probably hasn't been washed in like .... ever."

Jumping from up from the chair Rudy growled at the girls "hey just because I don't like you doesn't mean you have to be mean."

"You were mean first," Jennifer retorted "besides we're so over it."  She laughed grabbing Diana's hand as they ran outside together.

***

Sitting outside the girls burst into giggles.  "I'm sorry," Diana said once she caught her breath from all the laughing.

"For what?" Jennifer asked.

"You know for thinking you wanted Rudy just because you were playing a game together and for making you lose."  Diana sighed "It was stupid.  I should have listened to you."

"Don't worry about it.  The dweeb isn't worth it."

"Do you ever think about who we'll marry when we're all grown up?" Diana asked.

Shrugging Jennifer looked away "sometimes," she admitted.  "I like to imagine what my wedding will be like.  The dress I'll wear.  You know stuff like that."

"Don't you imagine who the guy will be?" Diana asked.

"He's there but he doesn't have a face yet.  But he'll be able to sing though because we'll sing a duet together."

"Oh that sounds beautiful," Diana sounded a little wistful at the thought.  "Will you sing at my wedding?"

"Of course," Jennifer said "I could even teach you how to sing."

Shaking  her head "I doubt it I sound like a dying cat."

Laughing "do you even know what a dying cat sounds like?"

Blinking in thought "well no but it has be bad.  My music teacher covers her ears like she's in pain whenever it's my turn to sing a solo."

"I'll teach you," Jennifer said confidently.

"Ok it couldn't hurt," Diana mumbled sitting down in the sandbox.  "I'd like to be able to sing."  She looked up at Jennifer "don't make fun of me if I'm really bad ok?"

"I promise I won't," Jennifer said joining her in the sand box.  Leaning close she whispered to Diana "don't look now but Mr. Fashion Plate is watching us."  They burst into giggles as they ignored the boy.

***

As Robert left the restaurant after his shift he received a phone call.  Yawning as  he answered "hello" .... "this is he" .... "Wh what happened?" .... Robert asked as his heart leaped into his throat.  The impersonal voice informed him Gene was in the hospital.  The voice droned on as Robert's thoughts tuned it out.  "Traumatic pneumothorax" .... Robert repeated "what the hell is that?"  Dropping to his knees he gripped  the phone as the voice continued into incomprehensible medical babble.  Cutting the voice off he asked "is that like a punctured lung or something?"  He began to shake when the voice confirmed his suspicions.

Disconnecting the call while the uncaring voice droned on Robert called Michael.  The boy had to be going out of his mind.  An incoherent voice answered on the fifth or sixth ring.  "Michael baby are you alright?" Robert waited for a response from his little brother.  Robert could tell he was crying and fighting for control.

"Rob how did you find out?" came Michael's unexpected reply "I haven't called anyone yet."

"The hospital called," Robert explained "Gene had me set up as his emergency contact."

"Oh ok ...." sobs strangled his words "Rob he's dying."

"No he's not," Robert told him firmly. 

"bbbbut he has a knife in his back."  Michael screamed in the phone causing Robert to jerk the phone from his ear.  "he can't breathe .... his lips and fingernails are blue."  He sobbed "he's not getting any oxygen ... no oxygen no life .... he he's ...."

"Michael stop!" Robert commanded "pull yourself together.  I'm on my way.  Gene's a fighter.  He's not going to die."  Robert took a deep breath.  "Do you hear me?  Gene is not going to die," he enunciated each word slowly and distinctly.  Even as he said it Robert hoped he was right.