GEN IV: Chapter 30

"Good morning birthday boy!" Logan said to David as he pulled the toddler from the crib.

"Mornin'!" Said David, then he went into fits of giggles as his older brother tickled him.

"You know, it's not only your birthday today. It's daddy's and Uncle Dylan's too. Do you know how old daddy is?" Logan waited for David to shake his head 'no', "he is really old. Like 60 years older than you!"

"Daddy eats cake today?" David asked, his eyes gleaming at the thought of some birthday cake.

"You too little man. There's going to be two cakes today! Cake for breakfast and dinner." Logan dressed his little brother and carried him downstairs to play until their father's small party. Logan may have recently become a trouble maker and a slightly snotty teenager, but when it came to David - Logan's heart was as soft as they come. He loved the little guy more than anyone else in the world, except maybe their dad.

The sun still was not even up when the family was celebrating Brian's aging. Dylan had come because he would be celebrating his own aging too, but Carla stayed home to get ready for school. The family gathered around to watch Brian and Dylan blow out their candles.

"Oh my, no one told me how much back pain there would be." Brian said as he grabbed his back. Then he smiled. "Just kidding, I still feel healthy as a horse."

The family laughed, then Dylan chimed in "Welcome to the senior party big bro. Where back pains and canes are all that's left!"

After everyone finished their sugar filled breakfast they went into the family room to hang out for a while. Dylan played some guitar, Jennifer and Logan played video games and David had his own toys. Adelaide had disappeared but Brian enjoyed Dylan's music. He had written a song just for Brian on his birthday, and was all to happy to play it for him.

"Really, being in the 'old age' category isn't so bad. Especially when you're a star like we are. People give you more free things because they think you aren't as able as you used to be." Dylan joked.

"Yeah. I'm sure!" Brian said.

Just then Adelaide had come back in the room bearing a gift.

"Here Dylan, I know you said you didn't want to make a big deal out of your birthday, but Brian and I got you this anyway." She handed him a little box with a red ribbon.

Dylan thanked them both and opened the present to reveal a receipt for a new guitar they had purchased for him. "Oh wow! Thanks guys. Mine is pretty old and shabby now, I've had it since I was a teen."

Adelaide laughed, "Yeah, we've seen it. Well, We really hope you enjoy it, it's being delivered to your house later today."

Dylan embraced Addy and Brian. Then everyone heard a very strange noise emitting from the kitchen.

With a sigh Brian said, "That'll be the dishwasher, again. I'll see you later Dylan."

After he had fixed the dishwasher, Brian got a phone call for an investigator job. He left the kitchen and picked up David to give him a hug.

"I love you little dude, have a good day okay?"

"M'kay daddy. Miss you." David said.

Just as Brian put the toddler back on the floor to play with his xylophone, Adelaide came down the stairs.

"I was just coming to look for you darling. I got a work call, I'll be back in time for our little man's birthday party. Dylan will be coming back with Carla later, so they'll be here too.

Brian kissed Adelaide, threw on his work jacket and hat, then headed out the door.

Brian went to speak with a few people regarding his new case, and eventually was led to digging in garbage and going through someones mail to find clues. This was another case of a husband trying to find his wife cheating. Most times, to Brian, what was ironic was the fact that the person who hired him to find their partner cheating was normally the one having the affair and was just trying to pin the guilt on the other party.

He did not find anything interesting on the wife, but he did find things on the husband and his hidden fling. Brian decided to keep that information to himself and not use it to blackmail the man paying him. He reported back to the guy, and then went home for his son's birthday party.

When Brian returned, he changed out of his work clothes. It wasn't long before Carla and Dylan arrived for the celebration.

For the second time that day, the family gathered in the dining room to blow out some more candles. A few family members commented that they thought it was fun and interesting that they had covered both ends of a lifespan today. David was truly excited to have everyone there just for him. He still loved every bit of attention that he could get, and since this party was all about him, he reveled in all the affection.

The whole family sat down to eat cake and have a good time. Finally David was old enough to get and eat his own cake, and didn't need it mushed up for him. Also he could pick his own outfits, and play with better toys. He was thoroughly excited to be a kid.

Until the family could renovate Jennifer's old room, David was staying in Logan's room, using the spare twin they had set out for Carla so long ago. A few mornings after David's birthday, Logan emerged from the bathroom after finishing his morning routine to find David making both of their beds - dressed in his best formal outfit.

"Did you sleep in that?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, So? I like it. It's cool." Was little David's reply.

Logan let out a small scoff and as he walked toward the door he said, "Okay, if you say so. You're insane aren't you? Just a little bit?" Without waiting for an answer, he left the room.

Logan went down to breakfast and found his dad in there getting ready to leave. "Heya Dad, I think nutty David and I will go to the park today, since it's Saturday. Is that okay?"

"Sure, of course. I've got some stuff to do today, but maybe I'll join you there when I'm done. I think your little brother might enjoy some fishing, so take a pole with you." Brian wondered briefly why Logan had called his brother 'nutty', but didn't think on it much.

Logan agreed, then the two boys left for the park. Logan of course, brought a book to read and sat on the bench near the water. David was keen on the idea of fishing, just as Brian had thought he would be, and took to it right away. Anytime he made the smallest of catches, David ran to Logan to show it off.

A little later that morning, Brian was off to attend a get together in his honor. The populous of Sunset Valley gathered to celebrate Brian being their 'hero'. Everyone valued him for solving so many unsolvable or even simple cases around their little town. The fact that he planned to continue his work into his senior years, made him all the more respectable.

The mayor even offered him the key to the city. "We are so lucky to have you living with us here in Sunset Valley Mr. Fuller. Thank you very much for your hard work and resounding dedication. We are in your debt."

Brian wasn't sure what to say exactly to these kind words, but he accepted the gift and waved to his friends thanking them all in return. It took most of his day up being there with nearly the whole town. Everyone that he had helped before had attended, and that was quite a lot of civilians. By the time Brian had greeted as many people as he could and chatted with some, the sun was setting and he decided to leave.

Brian was quite surprised to find Logan and David still at the park. They had apparently shared some picnic food that someone else brought with them, and spent the whole day just lounging around in the sun. Brian picked up the phone and called Adelaide and asked her to meet them at a restaurant. The whole family went to the Bistro to have a great dinner before going back home to bed. Unfortunately, the 'great' dinner they had planned on turned out to be horrible, and cold. Not having to pay for the food was the highlight of the meal.

The next day, each family member went about their own business for the most part. Adelaide had started writing, something she had wanted to do most of her life but never actually got around to it. She thoroughly enjoyed letting the words pour from her heart, and she specialized in Humor novels.

David was busy in his make believe world, dressing up in costumes, building castles in the sand box and using little green soldiers as his inhabitants of the kingdom. He was also using the couch as a car for a while, but Adelaide had told him that that was distracting and she really needed to concentrate. So he left then, and tried his hand at cooking.

Brian had gotten a call from the Art Museum requesting four of his own sculptures. Instead of giving them old ones, he decided to make new works of art for them. He worked on those all day long. It had been so long since he had done this, it took a little while to get his hands back into that old routine. Once he did, he was in a zone all his own, and nothing could break his whittling stride.

No one really knew where Logan was, or what he was doing with his Sunday, but he wasn't at home until later that afternoon.

David decided to practice his baking skills for a while, thinking he could sell them for a little bit of profit at the park. He was considering that, until he burned about four plate fulls, then he gave up. 'Well I guess cooking just isn't for me. Stupid old oven!' He thought to himself. To mull over what he wanted to do next, David sat on the toilet in the main bathroom. That's where Logan found him.

"What are you doing in here? Just sitting on the privy? Okay whatever, weird, but you gotta go. 'Cause I gotta go. So skedaddle." Logan said shoving his thumb in the direction of the door.

When Logan came out, David was sitting there in the floor of the foyer doing his homework from Friday. Since he had already finished his, Logan decided to sit down and help his brother.

Brian was in the kitchen making dinner when Adelaide came in to wash her hands. Unfortunately for her, the sink broke as soon as she turned it on. "Well, at least it didn't spray me in the face so bad this time" She mumbled.

"What?" Brian inquired.

"Oh nothing. Nevermind." Adelaide said as she fixed the sink.

"Okay, well when your done, will you fill up a pot with water? I need to boil some noodles. We are having spaghetti tonight."

Adelaide agreed to do as he requested and the two of them finished making dinner together.

"Well, raccoons or something have been  knocking over the outside trash every night. Is there anything we can do about them?" Adelaide asked Brian during dinner.

"Well we could always put some kind of poison down." Brian said and a slight smirk crossed his face.

Adelaide gasped and gave him a look of pure incredulousness. "I do not think so! They are just poor hungry creatures! Why would you ever suggest such a horrible thing?"

Brian snickered before replying, "I was kidding darling, you know I wouldn't do that. Maybe we could do some kind of trap though, and set them free in the woods far away from us or something."

Adelaide nodded thoughtfully and said "Maybe," as she walked away.

Suddenly David spoke completely out of context. "When can I have my own room? I don't want to hear Logan talking in his sleep anymore 'I should work out more, maybe impress some girls.' You do know you talk right? It's so annoying."

Logan looked shocked, "Well I was wondering the same thing, I don't want this twerp in my room anymore Dad, when can I kick him out and replace him with a snake?"

Brian rolled his eyes and got up from the table. "We're working on it," was all he said before collecting the dishes to wash them.

Monday morning, David started his day off with a submarine adventure in his own bathtub. He splashed and played, pulled out his imaginary periscope and looked for undersea treasure, or maybe water breathing monsters.

Logan had been up already and had breakfast. Since his homework had been done over the weekend, he figured he would have a little fun with some games before heading of to one of his last days of school. Logan's birthday was actually in just a few days and, to him, it couldn't come soon enough. He was so tired of school.

Adelaide was writing her novel while Logan played, but the noise from the game kept pulling her mind away. He thoughts wandered to Logan and his recent disobedience. She wasn't thinking on it too much before she came to a conclusion, or rather a resolution. She smiled to herself as she figured out what to do for the soon to be adult, to take his mind away from acting out and get him focused on something else. Only five minutes after the bus picked the boys up, Adelaide was out the door and on a mission.

When she pulled up to the shop, she phoned Brian, and asked permission to get a pet. Thankfully he agreed after hearing her thoughts on Logan.

One little trip to the pet store should work perfectly. Originally Adelaide had thought of getting a hamster or snake for Logan, but she could see him torturing his brother with either in the near future, so decided against it. She knew she would get some kind of animal for him, but wasn't sure what they had. After wandering around the store for a bit, the perfect pet came into view. Adelaide found a clerk and adopted the animal. She also purchased everything else she would need, to bring home right then. The store clerk informed her that they would have to bathe and cleanup her new pet before they delivered it, and they would be at her house in a few hours. She smiled happily and left, thinking that Logan's misbehavior would be corrected forever.

Adelaide spent the rest of the morning, and early afternoon, finishing up her first book. She was very proud of herself for getting it all done, especially so quickly. When she began she didn't think it would be done as fast as this, but once the writing had started, it wouldn't stop coming out. Like a dam that had burst, the waters rushing past the broken wall.

Brian was out working all day, as much  as he wanted to be at home with Adelaide, his life's dream was starting to hound him since he reached his old age. He always dreamt of solving at least 30 cases after he'd reached the top of his career. It had taken him so long to reach the top though, that he was thinking he wouldn't get it accomplished. Even if it didn't happen, he gave it his best, and he did reach the top. He was even nominated a hero by his own friends. Brian couldn't be happier than he was right this moment, but he still needed to try and reach his goal.




To be continued...