fardell24

A New Kid’s Dance Party While a Tree Grows Part 2
Annoyed at the garbage spilled all over the driveway, Jake stopped re-entering the house on account of his wife still being on the phone with her sister.


“Honestly, Rita, I don't care if Mother's paying for your new family room.”

“Maybe she can get a new family to go with it.”

“What? ... That was Daria. She's, uh, practicing for a school play.”

“A salesman's got to dream, boy,” Daria continued.

Jake chose that moment to re-enter the kitchen. “Damn neighbor's dog got into the trash again! Now there's garbage all over the street! Next thing you know there'll be abandoned cars on the front lawns!”

“I'll run out and pick up some cement blocks before they're all sold out,” Daria said.

“Jake, calm down.” Helen turned her attention back to Rita. “Rita, I'll have to call you back. ... Yes, I will! ... Very, very soon.” She hung up.

“Helen, do you know what happens when property values collapse?”

“Is it anything like when good pets go bad?” Daria asked.

“What if we can't get a decent price when we sell this place? You think we're going to move in with your sister?”

“Or should I also pick up a copy of the Jonestown bartender's handbook?” Daria snarked.

Helen was annoyed at both of them. “Oh...!”

Jake popped open a soda, which sprayed all over him. “Yaaa-ah!”

“Jake, you're being ridiculous. Nothing is going to affect the value of this house short of an earthquake.”

“We're on a fault line, too?!”


While Jake was panicking about property values, Quinn was having a crisis of her own. Sandi was attempting to sabotage the Dance Committee meeting by making silly suggestions... “I think we should decorate the gym like the inside of the Concorde.”

“Um, it's a cute idea and everything, but I'm not sure there would be much room to dance, and...”

Sandi interrupted her. “Gee, Quinn, if you're not going to listen to ideas from your own dance committee, maybe you should just plan the dance alone.”

“Don't be silly...” Quinn began.

Sandi interrupted. “So now I'm silly?”

“I meant, it would be silly for me to plan the dance alone when I have such a talented committee. I know the four of us can come up with something really fun!”

“But I already did come up with something really fun.”

“But it's just... well, not practical.”

“Maybe I should just have my own party, since you obviously think I'm postal.”

“I don't think you're postal!” Quinn projected, annoyed at Sandi for derailing her efforts.

“Come on. I know a really nice insane asylum.”

“Sandi, I think what Quinn meant is..” Stacy began.

Sandi glared at her.

“Eep!”

Sandi got up. So did Stacy and Tiffany.

“But I need you guys!”

“Then next time, maybe you'll act like it,” Sandi said, sounding almost sincere.

Quinn knew that she was not. ‘Why is she trying to sabotage this anyway?’

“Sorry, Quinn,” Tiffany said as she and Stacy stepped out into the hallway.

Quinn sighed. She looked at her clock. There was another hour until her big date.


( Day 2 )