The next day was Wak Ok in the Maya calendar, the day of 6-Dog the monkey king’s birthday. Lady Coco made him a cashew and banana cake, and stuck a beeswax candle in it.
“How old are you, your majesty?” asked Lola.
“In thy solar years? About twelve hundred.”
“We should have gotten you something,” said Max.
“No, I shall give thee something. I shall give thee the greatest team in the history of baseball.” He wiped his hairy chin with his napkin, jumped down from the table, and bounded to the front door to strap on his skates.
Max and Lola followed him.
“Lord 6-Dog, I’m worried. Please tell me who’s on the team,” begged Max.
“Why all the mystery?” asked Lola. “If this team exists, where did you find them?”
“Trust me. I will see thee at Fenway.” And with that, Lord 6-Dog jammed on his Stormtrooper helmet and skated off into the Boston backstreets.
“If anyone can pick a team to take on the Death Lords, he can,” said Max when he went back to the others. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. Lola and Lucky gave him weak smiles.
“I was busy yesterday,” said Lady Coco brightly. “Come and see my secret weapon.” She lifted the lid off a pot that was boiling furiously on the stove.
Max peered in. It was dark and unctuous. “What is it?”
“Do you remember, young lord, when I used flatulence as a weapon at the Black Pyramid to fell several soldiers in Landa’s army?”
Max nodded. “No one can beat you in that department, Lady Coco.”
She pointed to an open page in the Boston cookbook. “I found a local dish that will serve my purpose well.”
Max looked at the recipe and laughed.
“Boston Baked Beans,” said Lady Coco. “Guaranteed to fell an army of Death Lords. Now you two go practice your ball game. And I will cook up more ammunition.”
“I’ll coach,” volunteered Lucky. “I picked up a few tips watching those old games last night.”
So Lucky coached, and Lola pitched, and Max batted.
Then Lola batted, and Max pitched, and they both argued with Lucky’s coaching.
As the afternoon wore on, they gathered for one last meal in the Murphy kitchen and everyone chose one course. Max went for thin-crust pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. Lola chose tropical fruit salad. And they added a banana-pecan pie for Lord 6-Dog, who hadn’t come home yet. Lucky suggested they finish up all the ice cream in the freezer as they didn’t know when they’d be back.
“What about you, Lady Coco?” asked Lola. “Where’s your favorite food?”
“Right here,” said Lady Coco, tucking into another plate of baked beans. Or, as she called it, loading up on ammo.