Story 25 - Part 3 - To the End

“I don’t think I could eat another bite,” Boomer said happily.

“I’d have to agree,” Jordan said.

“Oh really?” Mrs. Owens said. “I haven’t even brought out the pie yet.”

“My dear,” Mr. Owens smiled. “Could we perhaps wait on the pie?”

Tech had to agree with that request. As much as he would love to shove more food down, he would probably make himself sick. The food was so good, that if a new dish was brought out he would try to eat it. For Tech, holidays had been like any other day until he and his mother had moved into the apartment complex. Now holidays were one of the best times of the year.

“So, what are we going to do while we wait for our food to digest enough to us to eat?” Jordan asked.

“Let’s see,” Mr. Owens said thoughtfully. “We could sleep the food off, or find a sport to watch.”

“Daddy,” the little girls called out from the middle of the lobby. “Come play!”

“If anyone’s interested you can play with me and my girls,” Boomer offered.

--What are you playing?-- Tech asked. Jordan had to translate.

“Pretty Pretty Princess of course,” Boomer laughed as his little girls pulled out a game with tiaras and big plastic jewelry.

“Let’s play, Jordan,” Vire said.

--I am so getting a camera,-- Tech signed.

“Don’t you dare,” Jordan called out, but it was too late.

By the time Tech was able to find the camera, the game had started and his step father had a nice little tiara on that actually did not fit his head. A few people had gone back to the paper shredder puzzle, but for the most part everyone else was either talking or playing with the little girls. It was like this at Grandma and Grandpa Morgan’s home as well, when the entire family was over. That is why Tech always loved returning to this apartment complex home.

--I am so going to post these,-- Tech signed.

“Be careful,” Jordan warned. “I have access to your baby pictures.”

--How low.--

“Says the guy taking pictures of me playing a little girl game.”

As the game dragged on, Tech returned to helping with the paper puzzle. Boomer’s sister and her friend seemed to find what they were looking for, but they did not leave right away because of the promise of pie. One of the government agents was supposed to stop by later, but as the game ended and pie was served, Tech had nearly forgotten about what he had been doing earlier.

“Sorry I’m late,” Agent Moto said as he walked through the door. “I had to work a little today.”

“On a holiday?” Tasha asked.

“Agents are never truly off duty,” Mr. Owens said. “We just have off days.”

“Well,” Mrs. Owens said. “You’re in time for pie.”

“I love pie!” Agent Moto cried out as he joined everyone else.

There were more kinds of pie than Tech had thought possible. If the meal earlier had been a feast, than dessert was a divine banquet. Tech, of course, helped himself to some whipped cream with a slice of pumpkin pie on the side. It was truly the only way to have pie.

“You just had to wait until the end of the meal to show up,” Boomer teased Kai.

“Well of course,” Agent Moto said. “As anyone knows, dessert is the real meal that everyone waits for. And Tech, have you found anything?”

--I think I found the right cruise for you,-- Tech signed, and then he waited for someone to translate.

“You seriously were looking up cruises for them?” Jordan scoffed.

“I think it will be one of my favorite undercover assignments,” Kai said. “You want to come, Tech?”

--Oh, yes,-- Tech signed.