| |
After their break, they traded kids. Matt took Bea to the small fry section while Sady and Argus tried the more adventurous attractions. When they finished, they caught up to Matt and Bea at the donut river. Matt was stretched out over three donuts. When he saw Sady and Argus, he waved his hand. "Go away. I'm starting to enjoy myself."
"I gotta pee," Bea yelled. Matt's effort to get out of three donuts resulted in a dunking in the shallow stream of water. He came up out of the water sputtering.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you two planned that," he accused Sady as he lifted the squirming little girl out of the pool.
"You're welcome to take her," Sady offered.
"Uncle Matt, she's not kidding," Argus told him seriously.
Matt's eyes got big, and he yelled, "Hurry up!" Sady grabbed dancing Bea's hand, and they rushed to the restroom. Bea returned smiling and happy.
"I'm all grown up," she announced proudly. "I don't need diapers anymore."
"Oh, hell. I think I do," Matt said. Before Sady could point out the error of his ways, she heard Amanda yelling across the donut river. Sady laughed- Amanda still wore her Tina Turner wig and a shiny gold-colored swimsuit. "Cover their eyes," Matt told Sady, pointing to the kids. "Before that image is burned into their brains and causes eternal nightmares."
Amanda snorted when she reached them. "I'm surprised they let you in here without shaving," she told Matt.
"In case you weren't told, the floating donuts aren't edible. They're for entertainment purposes only, and I'm pretty sure they have a weight limit," he returned.
"You're the only person in here using three," Amanda pointed out with one brow lifted.
Matt turned to Sady. "If Amanda and Sally show up at the same slide, let me know. I'm pretty sure that means someone is filming a horror movie where the town gets washed away by a tidal wave."
Amanda sniffed. "Well, I was gonna offer to watch the kids for a while, but I've decided there's some hot-looking pool guys wandering around. Have fun, Stubbles. Don't plug the drain!"
"Why does she have to show up looking like that?" Matt fumed to Sady. Sady grinned, and he scowled. "Okay, Miss Bright Side, say it!"
"She could have gone with a Patti LaBelle wig."
"Great- then she could buzz saw through the survivors of the tidal wave horror movie."
"Uncle Matt? I'm hungry," Argus said. Bea stood by his side and nodded.
Matt shifted his eyes to Sady, and she shook her head. "Sorry."
"I figured," he grumbled as he climbed out of the water. Sady tossed him a towel, and they took the kids back to the room to change out of their wet suits. "Sure you're not hungry?" Matt asked as Sady made sure the kids were dry and clothed properly so they could go out to eat with Matt.
"You can always make a food run and bring it back here for us to eat," Sady suggested.
Matt opened the door and ran for the elevator. "Not so fast," Sady yelled after him. "If you don't get the order right, I’m sending you back. So get in here and write down what the kids want while I check with Amanda." His eyes narrowed, and she said, "Or you can take them all by yourself."
"Call Amanda," he muttered. After he left, they went to the water area to sit with Amanda and wait for the food. The kids played another round of golf while Sady watched.
"I brought my game," Bea told Amanda when she finished her golf game. "You wanna play?"
Amanda patted her head. "Maybe later."
Bea turned to her brother. "Argy?"
He scowled. "No, and don't call me that!"
Before she could ask Sady, Matt returned with the food. They took it to their room and Matt snatched the bags from Amanda. "Oh, no you don't! I know how you hand out food. I get whatever is left, even if it was for someone else and they traded."
"Well, you better hope you got the order right then," Amanda said. "Because if you didn't someone is driving back to fix it... and it's not me or Sady."
Matt gave her a snotty look and passed out the food, starting with the kids. Amanda was last. "You did this on purpose," she accused.
"Did what?" Matt asked innocently.
"Ordered the vegan 'Meaty Burger.' It's neither meaty nor a burger," she sniffed.
"Ooh, I'll trade," Argus offered.
Amanda looked suspicious. "What do you have?"
"A Baco-Burger with extra cheese."
Amanda swapped burgers with Argus and whispered to Sady, "What did you do to these kids? I thought they were getting to be normal."
Sady pointed to Matt and Amanda replied, "I thought so. Well, it's a good thing I came when I did. Which bed is mine?"
Matt choked on his food while Argus pounded his back. When he could speak he wheezed, "I thought you got your own room."
"Why would I do that, when you have a huge room?" She looked around. "Don't worry, Stubbles. If that couch isn't long enough, you can ask for a roll-away."
"Eat a few more fries and I'll call the front desk, and do just that," he said. "Or I can see if a river donut fits over your hair and they can roll you away like that."
Before Amanda could reply, Bea tugged on Matt's arm. "We wanna go swimming again."
"Let's go down and relax for a little while first," Sady suggested.
"Can I bring my game?" Bea asked.
"Sure, sweetie. And Uncle Matt promised he'd play it with you," Amanda smirked, getting in the final blow.
"Fine," Matt replied. "Thanks for offering to clean up, Amanda. Don't hurry to join us!"
Sady kept her head low and her smiles to herself. She grabbed a magazine and Argus took a book to read. When they found an open area, Matt and Bea sat at the table, while Sady and Argus sat in lounge chairs. Bea excitedly opened her game box and Matt's eyes bugged. He patted her head and put his finger to his lips, then pulled out her matching colors game for them to play.
Matt paid no attention and Bea won even though she cheated shamelessly trying to let him win. Matt was still in shock. The ugly missing Morrow painting had been in Bea's game box the whole time! She must have taken it home when she spent the night with them while Harris was in the hospital.
When they finished the game Bea announced, "I gotta go potty." Matt laughed and pushed her in Sady's direction. Sady put down her book and took Bea to the restroom, passing Amanda on her way.
Matt saw Amanda coming. "Hey, we're gonna go change so we can swim," Matt hollered after them. Sady waved, so Matt and Argus returned to the room to change. "Keep our spot, will you?" he asked Amanda before they left. She shrugged and sat in a lounge chair, picking up Sady's book.
A few minutes later Sady's book was dropped in favor of the two men who came to talk with Amanda. One was definitely too old to be wearing the suit he was in, but the other one looked just fine. Amanda patted the lounge next to her and the better looking one sat down to chat. The other man shrugged and moved away.
"I hope we're not interrupting," Sady said dryly when she and Bea returned. The man next to Amanda jumped up and apologized before leaving.
"You're killing this vacation," Amanda told Sady. "I was about to ask him how long he's going to be in town."
"I think you'll live," Sady laughed. She turned her attention to Bea who tugged on her arm. "Do you want to swim?"
Bea shook her head. "Where's my game?" Sady looked at the table where Bea's game had been.
"Amanda, have you seen Bea's game?" Amanda shook her head. "Maybe Uncle Matt and Argus took it back to the room," Sady suggested. "Why don't you ask them?"
"Argy!" Bea bellowed across the room when she saw him returning with Matt. "Where's my game?"
"I don't know BB! I don't play baby games!" Argus snapped at his sister. Bea began to scream and Matt looked around frantically.
"Amanda, who took the game?" he asked, starting to sweat. Sady would kill him when she found out he hadn't given her the painting right away.
"What am I, the game police? How should I know?" Amanda huffed at Matt.
"We have to find that game," Matt told Sady.
"Can't we just buy her a new one?" Sady asked.
"Uh, I don't think it will be the same," he replied.
"I want my game," Bea screamed. "Someone stoled it!"
"Maybe that guy you were talking to saw something," Sady told Amanda. "Why don't you find him and ask?"
Amanda grinned. "I'm always happy to help out a kid," she said as she scoped the place, looking for the man who sat with her. She spotted him a few tables away and made a straight line for him. With a nervous glance, he checked for a fast exit. The nearest exit was across the donut river, so he jumped in and waded to the other side where Amanda waited for him, arms crossed and foot tapping.
"Have you tried the donut pool?" he gasped when he saw her..
"Not yet. Why don't I join you?" she responded.
"Uh, well, it might ruin your hair." The man looked around for someone, anyone to help.
"I guess that means you'll be joining me... again." Amanda reached down and lifted him out by the waist of shorts. He was squirming and squealing by the time she dropped him on the floor.
Across the way, Matt winced and said to Sady, "Remind me to never insult Amanda unless I'm wearing body armor... or at least street clothes."
"Oh, I think that ship has sailed," Sady teased. "It's probably not even afloat after what you said to her earlier."
"I don't remember," he scowled. "I was in shock over her hair."
Argus poked Matt on the arm. "I remember what you said..."
Matt put his hand over Argus' mouth. "That's okay, kid. No one needs to bring that up. Especially since Amanda has someone else on the end of the torture hook."
They turned to see Amanda leaning over the man, who cowered and huddled into a ball. "Reflexive self-defense," Matt explained. A minute later Amanda reached down and hauled the man to his feet. With a death pinch on his arm they looked for his partner.
Sady grinned as she watched, wondering who was next on Amanda's list. She scanned the people, then stopped, her eyes moving back to the woman who had posed as a housekeeper. She was much closer now, and Sady got a good look at her. "She's not as young as you'd think," she muttered to Matt.
"Well, I'd say she looks pretty darn good for her age then. Any age, really...” Matt flicked his eyes anxiously then hastily added, “If one was to look, which I'd never do. Not with you right next to me, anyway."
Sady playfully poked him in the ribs. "Matt, I've spent most of my life surrounded by beautiful women who received attention from men. I'm not jealous, but still- behave yourself, because I might become the jealous type if pushed far enough."
They watched the bikini woman for a few more minutes. She seemed to have more than a normal interest as she studied Amanda and the cowering man. Then Amanda's victim pointed and everyone turned, including the bikini beauty. The man’s friend sat in a lounge nearly covered by a large plant. The bikini woman narrowed her eyes, then waved a hand signal behind her back. Sally seemed to appear out of nowhere and took a seat next to him.
Matt's mouth dropped. "I don't know how many teams are in play here, but it seems everyone's after that painting in the box," he told Sady. "I think it's the women against the men at this point."
Sady turned to Matt with her brows raised. "Painting? Here?"
Matt gave her a contrite smile and was about to explain when Bea yelled, "He stoled my game! Argy, that's the guy who took my game." She pointed to the man near Sally and Sady saw Bea’s game box under his lounge chair. Before Matt or Sady could move, Argus and Bea took off, running for the other side of the room. By the time they reached the man, he slumped unconsciously in the lounge with his head rolled back..
Bea looked up at Matt and Sady who followed. "Where's my game? He had it and now it's gone again."
"Where's Sally?" Sady asked Matt.
Matt’s eyes bulged. "Oh, no! If she took out this guy, I'm leaving her to fight it out with Amanda."
"Are you insulting me again?" Amanda asked from behind them. She had her victim by the ear, and he struggled to get free. She gave his ear one final twist and released him saying, "Well, where's the little girl's game? Shame on you both." She nodded at the unconscious man. "Double shame on him! Someone cover him with a leaf, or a washcloth. Anything!" She peered closer. "What's wrong with him?"
"Sally got to him," Sady explained.
"Do you know anything about this?" Amanda turned to her victim, but he was long gone.
"Where's my game?" Bea cried.
Everyone shrugged except Argus. From his vantage point he saw Sally through the greenery, making her way to an elevator. He grabbed his sister's hand, and they tore after her. “C’mon,” he urged Bea.
Sady gave Matt a shove. "Don't let them go off by themselves! Hurry up and follow them." Matt groaned and raced after the kids while Sady asked Amanda, "What should we do about him?" she asked, pointing to the man in the chair.
Amanda gave an evil laugh. "If there weren't innocent eyes around, I'd shove him into a donut and let that little loincloth he's wearing shrink while he floats around the donut pool." She shook her head. "Something that small and ugly should be illegal- especially in a place where there are minors present. Or anyone, really." With a shudder she tossed a towel over him. "Maybe the cleaners will put him out in the trash."
Someone yelled in pain, causing everyone to turn. Amanda's victim lay on the floor, howling in pain, and holding his knee. Amanda turned to Sady. "Now I'm not taking the blame for that. You're my witness that I was nowhere near him when that happened."
"Maybe you weren't, but look who was," Sady hissed. The bikini beauty slid away from the injured man while others moved in to offer help. Sady grabbed Amanda's arm. "Let's follow her!" They chased her to the elevator, and she gave them a startled look when they stepped onto the elevator with her.
"Good evening," she smiled, revealing a slight accent. Sady was glad Matt wasn't on hand to make a fool of himself. Despite being on the shady side of fifty, this woman was beautiful and well preserved. With her tousled dark blonde hair, bright green eyes, beautiful skin, and elegant bone structure, Sady could tell she was one of the fortunate few women born with good genes. She didn’t pay for those looks- she inherited them. Her smile broadened. "I am Sophie." Again, the charming accent.
Sady nodded and said, "It's nice to meet you." Amanda just watched her with narrowed eyes.
Sophie shrugged and said, "This is my floor. We will meet again." She was nearly flattened by Matt and the Davis kids rushing into the elevator. Matt jumped back when he saw the woman, but the Davis kids dashed around her. After Sophie exited, Matt stepped onto the elevator.
"Aunt Sady, I got my game back," Bea squealed. "That mean lady had it. She wanted to play it the whole time, didn't she? Except she's bad because she stoled it!"
The doors closed as Bea made her announcement and Sady caught the look of shock on Sophie's face. It was too late to stop the movement of the elevator, so Sady asked Matt, "How did you get the game back?"
"He told her Aunt Amanda would beat the blubber out of her if she didn't hand it over," Argus blabbed.
Sady raised a brow at Matt and he shrugged with a grin. "I implied Amanda was waiting for her to get off.”
"And she just handed the game over?" Sady asked skeptically.
Argus and Bea shared a giggle. "Uncle Matt got into a fight with a lady! She hit him in the stomach, but we helped him. Bea bit her on the leg and I pulled her hair," Argus related.
"And what did you do?" Amanda scoffed at Matt.
"I stomped on her foot and took the game while she was distracted. Then the elevator door opened, and we ran!"
"Such a hero," Amanda snorted.
"Don't knock it," Matt defended himself. "These kids do just fine in the fight department."
"Great," Sady said sarcastically. "I'm sure Kristen will be thrilled to hear that." The elevator opened on the main floor and Sady pushed the CLOSE button in the face of the guests waiting to enter. "Sorry," she yelled. "We have an emergency!" Turning to the others she said, "We can't go back to the water area! We have to get to our room!"
Argus pulled on Sady's arm. "We're supposed to use the stairs in case of an emergency."
Matt smiled and put his hand over Argus' mouth. "I'll explain later, kid." When the elevator stopped on their floor, they checked before exiting and rushing to their room.
"Can I look at your game, Bea?" Sady asked the little girl. Bea nodded and handed it to her.
Sady took it to the table, and the adults all held their breath when she opened the box.