An Unexpected Visiter

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

“Do you have any nines,” My youngest asked.

“Go fish,” I replied. I have to tell you I was presently surprised that I got my little monsters to sit still long enough to play anything, more or less Go Fish. Although I had a sneaky suspicion that they just wanted to say they could best me at something.

“What about you Loz, Yazoo pondered, “Do you have any nines.”

“Maybe,” he said sheepishly.

“Then hand ‘em over cry baby,” Kadaj demanded, “That’s how the game is played.”

Loz grumbled a bit before handing over the two nines in his hand. “Ha, another set,” Yazoo said proundly.

“You’re cheating,” Kadaj yelled, “Mom!”

“Kadaj just because you’re losing doesn’t mean your brother’s cheating. Get over it.” The doorbell rings distracting me for a moment. Kadaj takes a chance to try and sneak a peak at Yazoo’s cards. “Now who’s cheating,” Yazoo protest.

“Both of you stop it,” I demand, “Sephy! Door!”

“You get it,” He calls downstairs as the doorbell rings again.

“I’ve kind of got my hands full!”

“So do I!”

“I’m not even going there,” I say to myself as I get up from the breakfast table to answer the door. I turn back to my kids who already have trouble brewing in their eyes, “Stay put,” I demand. I turn back and head for the front door as the doorbell rings again. I open the door to see a man about my age staring back at me. His blond, spiky hair seemed to defied gravity and his eyes were imposable blue.

“Can I help you,” I asked.

“I uh… had heard that Seph…” He studired, “Never mind, just a rumor. He couldn’t be.”

“Yeah Sephiroth’s here if that’s who your looking for.” He froze in his tracks. Turning back to me he reached for his sword. “Whoa! Itchy trigger finger cool your jets." I back away from the door as the man makes he’s way just inside the door. “Sephy! It’s for you!”

I heard Sephiroth moving upstairs as he made his way down. I started to hear his grumbling as he hit the bottom step and as he look up to see the blond standing in the doorway.

“You…”

“You…”

“Hello, right here,” I say standing between the two men. “Someone what to explain.”

“Your suppose to be dead.”

“And your suppose to be some kind of hero.”

“Mommy, is Daddy going to fight that guy,” Kadaj asked mischievously.

“Not in the house.”

“Daddy,” the blond looked confused.

“Uhhhhh yeah,” I replay, “I’m Angel, and you are?”

“Cloud,” the blond says coldly.

“Oh… Oh Gods… That Cloud… The one you… And that explains so much…”

“Are you gonna fight my dad now,” Kadaj asks again.

“Not in the house.”

“Uhhhhh No… I guess not,” Cloud responded.

“Are you afried my dad’s gonna kick your ass,” Kadaj asks.

“Okay first of language,” I yell, “And secondly NOT… IN… THE… HOUSE!”

Sephiroth laughs at the scene before him. “We’re not going to fight Kadaj,” He answers, “But I do think I’ll invite him in. Maybe even let him stay for dinner.”

Cloud looked over at Sephiroth, eyes wide with confusion. “Are we going to eat him,” Yazoo asks.

“No we’re not going to eat him,” I yell, “We are not cannibals!”

“But in our cartoons,” Loz begins to protest. “What cartoons are you three watching,” I demand. The boys look at each other with twisted smiles on their faces. “Never mind. Clear the table then upstairs. You have an hour to get washed up.”

“What’s for dinner,” Cloud asks nervously still standing in the doorway.

“Pizza,” I say pulling him in and shutting the door. “I’m not giving those little monsters anymore ideas tonight.” I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and head for the kitchen, “And no fighting in the house!”

Later

We sit at the normal unused dinner room table. Loz is trying to fit his third slice of pizza into his mouth whole. “Loz for the last time, chew your food,” I sigh as Kadaj giggles mischievously. Cloud sits at the end of the table, opposite Sephroth, nervously poking at his food.

“You gonna eat that mister,” Yazoo asks.

“You don’t need anymore,” I insist. “Seriously you’ve had four slices already. Were do you put it all.” The boys look at each other; I can see the wheel turning. Well, I’m not getting any sleep tonight.

“How did you survive,” Cloud final spoke up.

“You should know the answer to that question,” Sephiroth answered. “You were once Hojo’s plaything as well.”

“Not at the table,” I demand. The boys start giggling. “Sooooo… what brings Gaia’s hero to the doorstep of his enemy?”

“Well, when I heard that Sephiroth could be alive I decided to investigate and finish him off if he was.”

“So you are going to fight my dad,” Kadaj jumped up from his chair, standing on the front support and leaning over the table.

“Kadaj sit down before you break the chair and for the last time NOT in the house!”

“It’s okay,” Cloud insured me, “I don’t want to fight anymore.”

“Wus…” I stare at Kadaj, causing him to sink in his chair.

“I was raised by a single mom,” Cloud informed us, “I won’t do that to you. Besides it doesn’t seem like you’ve been causing much trouble since our last battle.”

“Tell that to my vegetable garden and my nerves,” I say.

“And my busted lip,” Sephiroth interjects.

“I didn’t mean to,” Loz panics.

“Do I want to know,” Cloud asks.

“Well you see…”

“Angel don’t you dare,” Sephiroth interrupts.

I sit silent taking a sip of my tea. “Loz punched him in the face,” Kadaj yelled excitedly. Sephiroth pounds his fist into the table and Kadaj takes off. “Get back here you little brat!” I surprise a smile as I watch my husband chase after our youngest troublemaker.

“Okay,” Cloud sighs, “So that’s what’s kept him busy.”

“Yeah,” I say. Sephiroth returns with Kadaj flung over his shoulder. Kadaj snarls and flails about demanding to be put down. Sephiroth returns to his seat, sitting Kadaj in his lap. The boy continues to flail about trying to get out of his father’s grip.

“Watch it,” I say, “He’ll gnaw your arm off.”

“Like a wounded coyote,” Yazoo asked, looking at his brother curiously.

“Exactly.” Cloud took a sip of his tea. He looked like he was trying to steady himself. “I have a strange request to ask of you,” he said.

“Look around, all I know is strange,” I inform him.

“Yeah… Well…” He took a deep breath. “Could I… maybe… stay here… for a few days?”

The boys looked at each other, plots and schemes in their eyes as Sephiroth busted out laughing.

“You so sure you want to stay in this nut house,” I ask.

“Just a few days?” Sephiroth let Kadaj go and the boys ran off into the living room. Sephiroth stood and walked over to Cloud. “Sure, you can stay.” Sephiroth motions for Cloud to follow. Cloud gets up and follows Sephiroth upstairs.

“No fighting in the house,” I scream after them.