GEN II: Chapter 26

The next day Charlie slept in longer than usual. James and Cedric were on their normal time, up showered and eating breakfast. It was another work day for James and Charlie, though it seemed Charlie would be late. Just as the sun was coming up James went out to tend the garden he was coming to love. When the light hit Charlie's window he bolted awake and realized he only had an hour to get ready for work. He couldn't be late on his second day!



Cedric had no reason to go anywhere, as usual, so he just sat most of the day and played chess with himself. The only thing about having sitting so quietly by yourself, is that you tend to think to much. "Maybe James was right. Maybe I do need to be more responsible. I mean, girls are attracted to the guys with jobs and skills right?" He thought to himself. "Eh, I'm good for now."

Isabel had taken to doing the laundry more often than she used to. It was never a chore she enjoyed and would rather leave it to other people, but Hayden and the boys didn't seem to ever do it. If she didn't then no one would. While she was waiting for one load to finish washing she pulled out her guitar, figuring it was a great way to waste time. In all actuality she was too lazy to climb the stairs and then turn around to come back down in ten minutes to switch the clothes to the dryer.

Since she was down there, she seen and heard the washer as soon as it broke. At first she went over to it and just looked at it. She thought for a moment that she might try and fix it herself.

"Nah I'll probably just break it more." Isabel said aloud to herself. She then went to the base of the stairs and called up for Hayden to come down. "The washer's spitting out tons of water and suds honey! Come fix it before the basement floods!"

Hayden came down and looked at his wife, "Stop over reacting, it isn't going to flood." He smiled at her warmly and pecked her cheek with a light kiss before getting on his knees to fix the machine.

Isabel talked to him while he worked, though she tried not to distract him too much. "Thanks darling, you are quite the handy man aren't you?" Isabel giggled and when Hayden was finished working, she flirted with him. They both got so wrapped up in each other, the two went up to their bedroom to complete the show of affection.

Cedric noticed his parents holding hands and silently stealing up the stairs. He knew what was going on and really did not want to stay around to hear it. He went out to the Bistro to have dinner and dessert. The waitress recognized him, she was so happy to have him at her table she gave him his meal for free. Cedric smiled graciously at her, and left her a really big tip.

During that meal he had come to a decision. He was going to buckle down a little bit and get a job. If James and Charlie could do it, so could he. He didn't want just any old job though, he didn't want anything 'ordinary'. Cedric felt he was above the ordinary anyway, he was a rebel and needed a similar job. Then he thought of the perfect place. It was just after sunset, so it would be the perfect time to apply.

Cedric went to the building that he had heard rumors about, all the rumors suggesting that this place was the harbor of local criminals. He walked around the building until he found a door, way in the back. He did run into a few tough looking men who demanded to know who he was and what he wanted. Cedric explained that he wanted a job, and wasn't in the mood for the real and normal business type. The guys eyed him for a moment before agreeing to give him a shot. They were always looking for more wrongdoers.

Cedric was given a job as a 'Bag-man'. He was happy about it, he had landed himself a job. Though he wasn't sure what it entailed exactly, he was bound to do his best. He was a genius and also born a kleptomaniac, it seemed the perfect place for him to earn a living. He had his own small collection at home, from random places, but now he could earn money for the things he stole! What was better than that? The one thing they told Cedric, was that he would have to loose weight and build some muscle, no one wanted to be left behind if they needed to run.

So that is just what Cedric did. The following morning, he hit the workout bench in the basement. He worked out so hard and so long that he could hardly move when he was done, and he really needed a shower. Since his muscles were sore though, he took a long bubble bath instead.

James had finally gotten up the nerve to do what he had been avoiding for the longest time. He had been holding on to his grandmother Jenni's urn since her memorial, not wanting to actually place a headstone for her, nor put her in the ground to rest. He had been thinking about it though and began to feel selfish. This wouldn't be what she wanted, if anything she wanted to lay next to her beloved husband Alan. She had talked about him so much the triplets felt like he had been there with them their whole lives, even though they had never met him.

James went to the Mausoleum to have a headstone made, only to find out that Hayden had that done a couple of days ago. James sighed, slightly disappointed that he couldn't put this off another day. On the other hand, he was also happy he didn't have to wait anymore. For, he thought, if he had to wait - maybe he would never get the nerve again. He brought the headstone back to the family cemetery and placed his grandmother next to his grandfather. He stood there for a few more hours crying, and talking to Jenni.

That evening after the family ate dinner, Charlie called Sybil.

"Sybil, it's Charlie. How are you doing?" He asked, slightly nervous. He knew what had happened that night with her sister, and only now did he wonder if she knew too. Had her sister informed her of their 'date', and maybe even embellished a little, like girls do?

"Hey, uh ,hey Charlie. Look, I can't.... " There was some odd noises on the other end of the phone, like papers shuffling. "I can't really talk right now. Um, I'll call you some other time okay?" Before Charlie could answer, Sybil hung up the phone.

"Okay.." He said to a dial tone. "Well that was weird." That is what came out of his mouth, but his head spoke different words. He just knew that Daphne had told Sybil everything probably making some of it up. He just knew it, and that's why she didn't want to talk. She was angry with him, or jealous. Charlie sighed and put his phone away, then went to practice his writing. He was calling Sybil to ask her out again, but since she was unavailable he might as well put his mind to his new job.



















James and Isabel were upstairs chatting about video games when Charlie came up.

"Maybe you boys will teach me how to play one of these days. I'm not up to much more since I'm and old lady now." Isabel chuckled as she spoke. "Or maybe my strapping young men don't want to play with their old mother anymore?" She asked.

James laughed at her, "Of course I'll show you, and because your older than me, I'll even take it easy on you!" The two of them offered Charlie a game, but he turned it down saying he had to work. Isabel and James sat to play their game.

Cedric and Hayden were downstairs in the basement. Cedric had asked Hayden to give him some pointers on working out, and being the great father he is, Hayden agreed to help. Cedric had not told anyone about his 'not so perfect' job, and was planning on keeping it that way for a while. He worked nights anyway, he was sure no one would miss him since his mother and father went to bed pretty early, and his brothers were always busy.

The whole family finished up their work and play and tucked themselves in for a good nights sleep. They were only that way for two short hours though, before the burglar alarm rang throughout the house waking most of them up.











Cedric was up first. He jumped out of bed and bolted down the stairs. He wanted to be the hero this time. With his new job, he had to do things like this to prove that he was capable. It also irritated him that someone would rob a fellow criminal. Was there no honor amongst thieves anymore? Cedric wanted to punish this burglar so much he hadn't even thought about what he was wearing.

When he did arrive downstairs, closely followed by James, he noticed that the police were already there. "Wow they got here quick. Damn." Cedric mumbled. Only then did he see the cop was laughing at him, and his brother was also looking at him kind of alarmed. Cedric realized what they were looking at and even in his frustration about the criminal he blushed and slowly made his way back upstairs. James went back up too, knowing she would be hauled away.



Hayden still came downstairs, to make sure everything was taken care of. He checked to see if anything was missing and nothing was. He was glad the police got here so quickly. In his elder years, Hayden was unsure if he could handle a fight anymore.