The 2nd MopFam Tale - Honey, I'm Home

[The Count]

Next... Chapter... Pleassssseeeee...

 

[Beauregard]

Chapter 5: A revelation…

Jack worked late into the night, entering digit codes, cross-searching entries, checking the national databases for what he was looking for. The credit card details had led him to the identity of Beauregard Parker Moppet. He’d scrolled medical histories, births and deaths in the family. When Liza arrived at his small, messy flat, he had everything he needed, and nothing he wanted.

Liza sat cross-legged on the floor opposite Jack. They were surrounded by paper printouts. “What do you mean nothing?”

“N-O-T-H, nada.”

She shook her head. “But I found it, right here.” She lifted the thin file that Harvey, bless his heart, had given her. And handed him the form. “Date of birth, name of wife, former employment.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have most of that. The Date-of-birth thing is simple enough, but, Liza. Beauregard Parker Moppet is not married.”

“What?!”

“I’ve searched every register there is in the country, and in fact the globe. He is not married to Christy Cole. Christy Cole is married to a man called Ron Demetri.”

“This can’t be so,” Liza said. “Look.” She pointed to the employment sheet. “’Married.’ And look!” She opened the flap of the file, and pulled out a piece of brown paper. “A Marriage Certificate, authenticated by a sea captain.”

Jack turned the piece of brown paper over. “So, if he was married at sea, and never registered-“

“Then Mother is, officially, still married to this Ron, person. Unless she has this certificate. Who is he?”

“I did a search on him. There isn’t much. He’s wanted for piracy, and so is Christy Cole, and Beauregard Moppet, but that’s not what’s important here.”

“And what is?” Mingostone asked.

“Ron disappears. Quite suddenly. No more entries.”

Mingostone shook her head, confused. “And Christy never divorced him?”

“Never.”

She covered her mouth with a hand. That was it. She’d heard them discussing it. Vic’s dad was dead. They’d said that once. But if he now wasn’t dead, and her and Bo’s marriage was not registered...what did that mean?

Jack drew a finger across his throat. “They’re in big trouble,” he said. “You’d better hang onto this. I bet it's the only copy.” He passed the certificate back.

*****​

“Mac, I need help.” Christy stood under a lamppost in the rain, talking on her mobile phone.

“I can pick you up in twen’y minutes?” the thickly accented scottish voice answered.

He screeched to a stop in a smart car fifteen minutes later, and wound down the window. “Hop in,” he called.

“You’re early.”

“A trick of the trade,” he said. “Always overstate your estimates.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“What’s up?”

“Get me outt’a here, Mac. I can’t take it. Not right now.”

He pulled away, his tires splashing water over the kerb.

*****​

Father dashed to the door as he heard it unlock. Mother must be home. He had to tell her that Vic wasn’t back yet. The door opened, and Vic stumbled in, followed by the very wet dog. “Vic? You were driving us crazy. Where’ve you been?”

Vic tramped past Father, and on up the stairs. “Out,” he said.

“Out where?” Father started after him, but was distracted by the Dog leaping all over the furniture and dripping dirty water on the carpet. “That’s it! Get out of here, Ted!”

“Arf, ruff rettin’ arfun!” The Dog said. Translated, It was just getting fun.

Father locked the dog into the kitchen, and trudged up the stairs after Vic. He knocked on the bedroom door, and was met with loud music. “Vic? Vic if you want some dinner get out of there.”

“Not hungry.”

“What?”

“Not Hungry!” Vic shouted.

Father twisted the handle. The door was locked. “Get out here, Vic. I need to talk to you right away. I mean it. You open this door this instant.” Before Father finished speaking, the door opened and Vic stood there, face to face with him.

“Who is my dad, Dad?”

Bo Moppet stopped dead still. “What happened?”

*****​

Christy paced the hotel room, tossing her wet coat down on the puffy clean white bed linen. “I can’t take this any more! I am up to here with it. Everything used to be so simple, and now it’s so bleh!”

“Whoah, back up the pineapple, girlie. Tell me slowly. What happened?”

“Ron is alive.”

Mac tipped his head sideways slightly. “Say again?”

Christy paced faster, waving her hands quickly and expressively. “And if that wern’t bad enough, he came to my house. And Moppet sees him. And now Moppet thinks I was having an affair, and my sister-in-law just totally blew up in my face, and my brother is totally blown up. And my kids are missing. And my nanny is scheming something, and I don’t even know what!” She slapped her hands against her legs, and flopped onto the bed. “And I don’t know what the heck is going on anymore, Mac, help me.”

“Ron is alive?”

Christy turned onto her back. “Yes, Ron is alive.” She bit her lip. “And I don’t know if I love him, or if I can’t love him, or if – I don’t know! I don’t know.” She rubbed her eyes with the back of her jacket. “I don't...know.”

Mac sat on the end of the bed, and then lay back next to her. “Hey,” he said. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not. It’s not alright.”

“You’re right. It’s not.” He stood back up. “I think we need some more help.”

A sprightly female voice piped in. “Thank goodness you finally asked.” With a puff of pink dust, Angela appeared upside down above Christy, her wings flapping busily. “Whoopsie!” She straightened up, and fluttered down.

“Oh no,” Christy said, stuffing her head under a feather pillow.

“Now, now, darling, don’t be like that.” She waved her wand, and lifted the pillow into the air. “I do believe that I warned you this whole kafuffle would come to naught.”

“Not now Fairy God-Mother.”

“Yes, now. When else? Next week may be too late.”

Mac laughed. “Good evening to you too,” he said.

“Oh, Mac, I suppose you would have to be here. Look. Why don’t you order a little room service? Something sweet, with cream for me. No doubt something greasy for you, Mac. And, Christy, dear, what will you have.”

“Nothing.”

“And the same for her, then. Good. Go along, hurry.”

Mac grinned, and did as he was told, while the Fairy settled down beside Christy for a little heart-to-heart. “Now, dear. Listen to me, I have considerable more years of service on me than you, and don’t I know it. I was thinking of a face-lift, but the beauty mud seems to do the trick. Oh! What was I saying? Your problems. Ahha!”

She spun in the air, and shot a puff of pink dust into the air, it formed into a heart. “Problem number one. Two men, one love. For you.”

“Gee, do you ever stop talking?” Christy said. “I think I know what my problems are.”

“Problem number two, dear, you are a very stubborn woman.”

“Will you quit while you’re ahead? Don’t make me hurt you, Angie.”

“Problem three, the choice! Who do you love? Who has the key to your heart, dear? Is it, him?” She pointed her wand, and a video like image opened, of Ron his face laughing, a sword in his hand as he winked at her. “Or him?” She pointed her wand again, and a window opened of Father, covered in mud struggling with squirming twins, and desperately holding onto a cup of tea.

Christy grabbed the feather pillow in both hands, and swung it hard into Angie sending her spinning across the room. Just before she hit the wall Angie disappeared with a pop, and her voice tinkled. “I do know when I’m not wanted.”

Mac came back into the room with food. “Where’d Ange head off to?”

“Oh, she had another appointment.”

Mac grinned. “Then I guess I’ll have to have her éclairs as well as my ribs.”

*****​

“Your dad was, is, a pirate, Vic,” Father said, sitting on Vic’s bed. The thick black quit was folded in a square next to a pillow. The walls were covered in posters. The PS2 was turned off.

“What do you mean a pirate, dad?” Vic said. “I mean, Bo. I mean, do I still call you dad?”

The words gripped Father’s heart in a vicelike grip. “Yeah. You can call me dad. I’m still your dad.”

Vic slouched against the wall, shaking his head. “What happened?”

“Your dad, your real dad. He died, at sea. Your mother thought it best to wait. You were so young. She didn’t want to break it to you then, and then, then it was too hard. She didn’t want to hurt you, to spoil the illusion she had created of a perfect family.”

Vic held back dry tears. “No. But we were a perfect family, dad. We are. Aren’t we?”

Father stood up. “I don’t know,” he said very slowly. “But I do hope so, son. I hope so.”

Vic stepped forward towards him, bit his lip, and then moved suddenly, his arms folding around Father’s neck as the tears came. He pressed his face into Father’s shoulder, and Father held him tight. “I do love you as a son,” Father said, feeling Vic’s shoulders shake under his hands. “I love you..”

“I love you too, dad. I love you too.”

To be continued...

 

[The Count]

Um... How's about another chapter there Bo?
And can I comment or do I have to stay here lying in the hospital bed?
Oh sorry, that was Adam talking... Forgetting that these are past events mixed in with a few present events as well... Don't wanna confuse you, just post the next chapter when ready please.

 

[TogetherAgain]

Wow. I just... wow. I mean... wow- did I say "wow" yet? Because... wow. I mean, Jack sort of almost figures it out, but not really, and then Christy's all... and the whole, the everything Father/son is just so.... "Who's my dad, Dad?" It just...... ach, you've stabbed me! And Mac there with Christy, and she's just falling apart, and Angie appears! And now, she's not much help, is she? Yay for the pillow, love the pillow, gotta love the pillow, and glad the eclairs aren't going to waste.

But there's one thing bothering me. Well, actually... four things...

Ann: Uncle Bo?

Kelly: Are we okay?

Tabby: And is Daddy okay?

Ann, Kelly, and Tabby: Please tell us more!

 

[Beauregard]

YEs, yes. Next chapter tomorrow, which, let me see...explains bout certain Abu Fletcher and his involvment...and, ooh, look, what is that fairy doing at Magic School?

 

[The Count]

Yeah... And more importantly, are Vibs and Viq OK? And even more importantly, are the triplets OK?
Inquiring minds need to... Well, forget them... We need to know Bo, what happens next.

 

[Beauregard]

Becuase you begged it of me!

__

Chapter 6: A fight and flight…

Abu Fletcher unlocked the cellar door, and peered down at the baby there. Viq crawled to the door on his knees, begging. “Please, sir, let me go and I’ll never, never be naughty again. I’ll never mess up my room, or poop in my diaper out of spite, or…” Abu shut the door. He turned to Ron.

“He’s one weird kid,” he said.

“I know it,” Ron said. “And that’s why I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t trust him because you are a spy,” Abu said, placing the cellar key down on the table, and pouring himself a drink from a shelf.

Outside, Vibs pressed her face to the windowpane. “I knew it,” she said quietly. “I knew that real spies didn’t wear silly trench coats.”

“Hey, Vibs?” a small voice said. “What are you doing here?”

Vibs turned quickly, loosing her balance on the windowsill, and landing heavily on her bottom, cushioned only by the diaper. “Hey, you girls. What are you doing here?”

*****​

She stood with her hands on her hips. “Mr Adam Cole, you wake up this instance.” He was lying on his back in a flat bed on an empty dormitory at the Magic School. A series of tubes were connected to his body, monitoring, supplying, healing. They had given him a potion. A headphone like device was clamped on his temples. “I mean it. Hurry and wake up.”

The Fairy God-Mother fluttered over him, and poked his arm with his wand. “Oh, don’t be difficult, I need your help.” She twisted the wand in her hand, and pointed it at him, shooting a wave of golden stars into his body.

Adam twitched, and his eyelids opened.

There was a scrabble of claws outside the dormitory window, and the hiss of a cat, then the glass fell in, and Izzy leapt down beside his bed. She stepped forward in her human-form. “Adam.” Moving past the Fairy, she closed her lips over his. “I love you so much.”

Angela coughed. “Excuse me, you two.”

Adam wrapped his arms around Isabelle’s neck. “I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.

Angela tapped her foot. “Later!” she snapped.

Izzy hissed, and shrank back to the snow-white cat. She leapt up onto Adam’s chest, and rubbed against his face. He sat up, pulling tubes and wires off his arms and head. “Angela? What are you doing here?”

“Your little sister is getting herself into big trouble. I need your help.”

“Shh.” Adam placed a finger to his lips. “The Kittens. Where are they?”

“What?” Angela muttered impatiently. “Will no one listen to moi?”

Izzy meowed beside his ear, her whiskers moving across his strong jaw. “Oh no,” Adam said. “Then they are in great danger.”

“Fine! Fine, fine, fine.” Angela landed on the edge of the bed. “Tell me what is happening, and tell me fast.”

“I used the cerebral-tracker,” Adam said. “To find the twins.”

“I sense a but coming.”

Izzy flicked Angela in the face with her tail for interrupting.

“But there was a force, surrounding them. Somehow keeping me out, and fighting back from finding them. A magic force.” He tapped his forehead. “It did this.”

“And?”

Isabelle lay back against Adam. “The Kittens must have activated the tracker,” she said in her soft voice.

“But because of their youth and innocence, it didn’t hurt them.”

“And when they tried to transport escape from the seat...”

“They ended up in the source of danger,” Angela speculated.

“Yes. We must hurry,” Adam said. “As I said, they are in great danger.”

Adam stood up quickly, and stretched. Izzy leapt onto his shoulder. “Hold it!” Angela said, waving her wand in front of them. “Don’t just waltz off into the night. There was a magic force, you may need a hand, and a wand attached, to get through! I’ll tell you what. I shall help you, if you promise to help me.”

Adam nodded. “Alright,” he said. “Alright.”

Izzy hissed.

*****​

“We don’t know how we came to be here,” Anne explained to Vibs in a whisper.

Tabby clicked her tongue. “But we did the exciting transport thing.”

“To here,” Kelly added.

“Why are you here?” Anne asked, looking around the dark patch of garden.

“Because, we were following someone,” Vibs answered.

“Ooh! Like spies!” Tabby said. “Like in the stories Daddy tells us?”

“Just like,” Vibs said. “But then a giant machine with teeth eight feet long came and…”

Anne frowned. “You’re making it up.”

Vibs scowled. “Ok. Then Viq got careless and got caught by the bad people. I’m going to rescue him.”

“How?” Anne asked.

“When?” Tabby asked.

“Why?” Kelly asked.

“Because,” Vibs said. “Um. Because.”

“Because what?” Kelly asked.

“He’s my brother,” Vibs said quietly.

“I don’t think we should,” Anne said.

“Yes, let’s,” Tabby said.

“No. It’s dangerous, and silly. We should go home and tell Daddy.”

Kelly sighed. “But Daddy is ill.”

Vibs leant forward, and spoke in an excited whisper. “What if one of you was trapped? Wouldn’t you go to rescue her?”

“Yes,” Kelly said. “Defiantly,” Tabby added. Anne licked her lips with a tiny pink tongue, then nodded. “Ok. Let’s do it,” she said. “What’s the plan?”

“Er, plan?” Vibs echoed. “Oh! Yes. Plan. The plan is,” and she pulled them close and whispered quickly.

*****​

Abu knocked back a glass of whiskey. “How did today go?”

Ron tapped his fingers on the table. “Not well, I guess.”

“Why?”

“Because, when I met her, yesterday, there was something gone from her. A fire that used to burn within, but it was gone.”

“Where?”

“I only wish I knew, man. But I don’t. Except. There was a man.”

Abu poured himself another whiskey. “She left your memory for another?”

“No. No. She couldn’t have.”

“But she did.” Abu tipped his glass forward to make a point. “She did though.” He drank quickly.

“I met my son,” Ron said.

Abu held up a hand to silence him. “Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“A cat. No matter. Must have been the wind. Go on.”

“No,” Ron said. “There is no more to tell right now. How was your day?”

A patter of tiny, tiny footsteps blew in the wind, but unheard. “It was nay good, nay bad,” Abu said. “Another television appeal after me. But they shan’t find me. Not after so long.”

“And it has been so long,” Ron said. “Since you escaped the freezer box of the cargo hold and took over those planes.”

“Yes,” Abu said. “Life and death have their part to play in terrorism.”

“You know I never condoned those 7/11 attacks on the two buildings,” Ron said.

“Yes. You tell me often, but,” a grin gleamed in his teeth. “Since I saved your life twice, you owe me enough to keep silent.”

“But I don’t!” a tiny voice shouted from the cellar. “I can hear you in here!”

“Ron, tell that wimp boy to shut up will you.”

Ron opened his mouth to reply, but instead of a word all they heard was, “Meow.”

“Did you say that?” Abu asked.

“Meow!” The tiny white kitten leapt up onto the table. “Mew!”

“Aww, it’s so cute!” Ron said.

“They are, you mean,” Abu said, as another kitten, this one ginger jumped onto Abu’s lap, and climbed onto the table, heading towards the key Abu had laid there.

There was a flash as Vibs appeared next to the cellar door. “Now,” she said.

Tabby snapped into her human form, grabbed the key and tossed it to Vibs. Kelly and Anne in their cat forms jumped on the faces of Ron and Abu, scratching with their claws.

Vibs caught the key and shoved it in the lock.

Abu yelled obscenities, as he pulled the wriggling cat off his face. A nasty claw mark wound down his check. Kelly changed into human form. “I’m a battle tested warrior,” she said, kicking Abu in the side, and leaping away.

Anne’s fur stood up on end as she spat at Ron, and chewed his trouser legs. Ron kicked out, and Anne rolled across the floor to the other end of the room. She got up, and shook herself. “No one kicks Miss Kitty,” she said.

Abu grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, and snatched a bag off the kitchen counter. He threw her inside, and ducked as Kelly jumped towards him. Catching her with one big hand, he tossed her into the bag with Anne as she formed back into a harmless kitten.

Vibs pulled the cellar door open, and Viq jumped out. “Sis? Did you Really rescue me?”

“No. It was just pretend,” Vibs said. “Yes, of course, come on.”

After throwing the key to Vibs, Tabby had changed back into cat form, and gotten confused. Where was she again? Oh yes! In a baddy’s house! And the baddy grabbed her, and shoved her in the bag with the others. Ron looked at Abu, then at the twins who were grinding their teeth. He thought of a trick that his Christy had taught him once a long time ago. In an instant, he disappeared.

And as he did so, a man, a fairy and an angry mother cat appeared.

Abu’s eyes widened. The odds were seriously against him. And from the look in that white cat’s eyes, it was going to be painful.

*****​

Christy had given up thinking at 4:30 in the morning, and had turned on the hotel room TV instead. Mac lay asleep on the bed behind her in his jeans, snoring heavily.

“The headlines tonight,” the TV announcer said. “Abu Fletcher has been apprehended in a empty house in the countryside. Details are not clear, but it appears that an anonymous call was placed to the police by a man who gave them the location of the wanted spy and terrorist. Arriving at the building, the police discovered three kittens in a bag and a snow-white cat that were later recovered by a gentleman from a nearby town.”

Christy, bored, changed channel. “Big news tonight,” said another enthusiastic announcer. “As the amazing medicine man, terrorist and spy, Abu Fletcher, who is rumoured both to have invented a medicine to bring back life, and also to have destroyed life in the 7/11 attacks has been found…”

Christy switched off the TV. It didn’t interest her. Except...A medicine to bring back life? Ron. No. There could not be a connection.

She lifted the receiver, and placed an external call. When no one answered, she left a message. Mac snored.

*****​

Father heard the beep of the answer phone, and decided to leave it. “Bo, it’s Christy. Um, I had a bit of bad luck at Adam’s. I’m at a hotel. I’ll stay here tonight. I’ll, er, call you in the morning. Love you. Bye.”

Father grabbed at the phone, too late. She had already hung up. He pressed the repeat button of the answer machine, and listened again. What was that, a deeper sound behind her speaking. Snores. A man snoring. Fierce anger ran through Father’s veins, and then weakness that trilled through him seeping into his heart. She’d lied to him. It was all a lie.

And now she was in a hotel, with Ron. How could she? No. No way!

“Love you. Bye.” The message ended. Father hit the button to erase it.

*****​

Adam Cole rang the doorbell, then transported himself inside the Moppet house, unlocked the door, and lead Viq and Vibs upstairs to bed. Isabelle had taken the kitten girls back to their house. They had had quite enough adventure for one night.

The Fairy God-Mother fluttered up to him. “It would be nice of you to uphold your half of the bargain this time, Adam,” she said.

“Later, Angie,” he said. “Tomorrow. Now is time for sleep.”

He glanced into Vic’s room. He was asleep, fully clothed, on his bed. Adam looked into the main bedroom. Bo was not there. Or downstairs. Or in the garden.

Angela lifted a note from the mantelpiece. “Christy Cole. I’m gone. Don’t come after me. I cannot have it all over again. Bo Moppet.”

“Mr Cole,” Angela said. “I may not need your assistance after all.”

To be continued...

 

[Erine81981]

Sorry to distrube anyone but am I or any of my pets going to be in this story as well as Mr. Spinach? Please let me know. Everyone writes one about them but I'm hardly ever in it. I know you mention Me and Yakky but am I going to be in it as a character that helps out or something. I need to write one of my own but I'm still working on my Sesame Street In the Begining fan fic right now. Just ask or wondering. Keep it up tho Beau. Your doing great.

 

[Beauregard]

Hmmm..I worked HARD to get you and the Pets in...but could only find cameo spots for them. Sorry, i tried out a scene with Vic breaking up with you and then becoming friends again, but it didn't work. So, for now, you have onyl cameo pats. But I promise in the final scene you will be a big part! 'k!!!

 

[TogetherAgain]

Beau, now I'm SHAKING!!!!! Such a fantabulous chapter, so much happening, I don't know where to begin! Such... I mean... WOOOOWW!

(minor sidenote, it was Ann who kept saying she was a battle tested warrior, but I love it all the same!)

MORE! MORE! MORE!