Chapter 124: Jana II—Big Old Bear
Jana was the first into the bedroom and she whooped a bloody yell as she launched herself onto Daddy, making him go "oof". Daddy laughed and tickled her ribs.
"Hehehee!" she giggled. "Wake up!"
"I am awake my little one," Daddy laughed giving her a big kiss on the cheek.
"Mitchell’s here," Jana replied. "He doesn’t believe you can turn into a BEAR!"
Daddy looked at Mitchell who was blinking at the side of the bed. Jana sat up, crossing her arms and preparing herself not to be scared this time.
"Oh he doesn’t does he?" Daddy said in a growly voice.
"Nope," Mitchell said shaking his head and sticking out his chin. "You can’t turn into a bear."
Jana hugged herself tighter and giggled as she closed her eyes. There was a low growl and a big ROAR from Daddy and Jana couldn’t help it. It sounded so real that she screamed and scrambled off the bed, grabbing Mitchell by the hand. "Come on!" Mitchell screamed too, they ran to the other end of the room, and Daddy was chasing them, with ROARS!
Jana couldn’t stop laughing as she and Mitchell hid in the closet and squeezed behind Mommy’s nice smelling clothes. Her heart was pounding. She could feel Mitchell, cold and trembling at her elbow. "Wow!" he breathed. "He can turn into a bear!"
"Seee!" Jana whispered. "Now be quiet so he can’t find us." Now this was the best part, where they had to hide and this time she was sure she wasn’t going to be scared.
"Grrrrr!" she could hear Daddy outside of the closet door.
"I’m scared!" Mitchell gasped, "What if the bear eats us?"
"Then we’d be living in a bear stomach," Jana said thoughtfully. "Like Jonah."
"But... I don’t want to live in a bear stomach," Mitchell said his voice trembly. "I would miss Mommy too much! And Daddy and WAYNE and Cecile!"
Jana frowned and put her arm around Mitchell, she forgot that he was still scared like a baby a lot of times. Then that would mean it was her job to protect him like a grown up and she LOVED feeling important. "OK," she said as seriously and as grown up as she could. "I won’t let the bear eat you, so you haveta do what I say!"
"OK," Mitchell whispered, "He’s scratching at the door!"
"OOO he’s gonna come in soon!" Jana whispered, "OK, when he comes in he’s gonna sniff around and roar and when you see him I’ll push his head down and you crawl over his back and run away!"
"OK," Mitchell said. "But won’t he eat you?"
That was a good question and Jana scowled. "I don’t know, but you’ll be safe."
Mitchell hugged her and Jana felt fuzzy and warm. "You’re sooo brave!" he whispered. "I will remember you forever and ever and ever!"
And the door opened and Jana felt scared all over again even though she knew that this was the millionth time she had done this. Sniff, sniff, the bear was sniffing...
"Do I smell little cubs?" he whispered.
"Eeeep!" Mitchell squeaked and hid behind Jana. She couldn’t help but giggle.
Then ROAR!
Jana squealed in terror, delight and so did Mitchell, and as soon as she saw Daddy’s face she pulled down one of Mommy’s shirts and covered it.
"Hey!" Daddy barked. And Jana whooped in victory as she put her tiny hands on the back of his head and shoved it down into the shoes.
"NOW MITCHELL!" she squealed.
Mitchell hesitated and then scrambled over Daddy’s back and sliding down it, rolling out of the closet to freedom.
"Yay!" Jana howled and then laughed as Daddy had tugged off the shirt and absolutely mauled her! "Hahahaha!" Jana couldn’t stop screaming and laughing as he dragged her out of the closet and she grabbed one of Mommy’s floppy slippers, battering him with it.
"Don’t eat her pleeeease!" Mitchell squealed hanging on Daddy’s legs.
"Eh?" Daddy said. "Should I let you go cherie?"
"Ummm," Jana said and then whacked him in the face with the slipper. "YES FREEEEDOM!"
"Ow!" Daddy barked and then he tossed her on the big, soft bed. "Go on you little devils I need to change."
Jana and Mitchell tore out of the bedroom, breathless and with pounding hearts. They found Jonathan and Elena and Freddy in Jonathan’s room.
"Jonathan!" Mitchell gasped hugging him. "Your Daddy almost ate Jana whole!"
"Sounds about right," Jonathan replied, "Try the Blue All Star jersey Elena!"
"OK," Elena replied brightly pulling off the jersey she had been wearing and slipping into the other one. She turned around holding her arms out, just like the super models did on TV. "How’s this one?"
"Perfect!" Jonathan exclaimed, "Freddy, Jana?"
Jana put her fingers to her mouth. "MUAH!" she exclaimed. "Perfecto!"
"Jana," Mitchell whispered at her side, poking her.
"Great," Elena said, obviously pleased with herself as she turned in front of the wall mirror. "Now all I need is some face paint and voila psycho fan!"
"Yup," Jana said.
"Can we get autographs?" he whispered.
"Eh?"
Mitchell’s eyes were large and blinking. "From our daddies!"
Jana nodded. "Uh huh, I don’t see why not. But where on our jerseys?"
Mitchell shrugged as Jana went to Jonathan’s desk and pulled off his black, Sharpie marker. "Come on!"
When they were downstairs, Mommy had some milk and cookies for them and they sat at the table. "We want autographs!" Jana declared through her chewing.
"Oooh," Mommy said and she heard Debbie and Joe giggle. "Where are the others?"
"Dressing up Elena," Jana replied and she grabbed another cookie.
"What?" All the grown-ups exclaimed.
"Jonathan is letting her wear a jersey," Mitchell said and there was a collective sigh from the adults.
Adults were always worried! Jana thought in contempt and exasperation.
As soon as Daddy came into the kitchen, Mitchell ran to him with the Sharpie. "Can I have your autograph?"
"Sure," Daddy said with a laugh. "On your jersey?"
Mitchell uncapped the pen. "Hehehe nope on my forehead like the face painters!"
Jana laughed. "I want one toooo!"
There was a round of protests from everyone except Daddy. "OK," Daddy shrugged and he promptly signed Mitchell’s face to another round of yells and protests from the adults.
"Patty!" Joe exclaimed. "That’s my kid you just defaced!"
"OOOO Patrick!" Mom snapped, "How could you?"
"Deface me!" Jana squealed angry that all the attention was on Mitchell and Daddy. She crawled into Joe’s warm lap and hugged him. "Deface me!" She decided she liked that word, it was a new word. Deface!
"I think I will!" Joe growled taking the marker from Daddy.
Jana closed her eyes and giggled as the cold, wet marker tip tickled over her forehead in a swirly way. "Merci!" she said and kissed him on his chin before jumping onto the floor. Mitchell was grinning and Daddy’s autograph was black and clear on his forehead. Jana could only hope that hers looked as good.
Both Mommy and Debbie were hiding their faces in their hands.
"Mommy," Mitchell breathed. "Can I sit with Jana today?"
"Oooh what a lovely idea," Mommy exclaimed looking happy again.
"YAY!" Jana squealed.
"Oh no," Debbie said, shaking her head. "Not behind that glass it’s too much for you."
Mitchell’s face reddened and his lip trembled but he didn’t squeal. This was the part where he should squeal so they would say yes! Did he know nothing?
"Oh why not," Mommy said, "The nets are up, the puck couldn’t hit him and if it gets too scary I’ll bring him straight upstairs to you. It would be wonderful for him to see his daddy up close in his first game back."
"Pleeeeeeese Mommy!" Mitchell begged hugging Debbie.
"Joe?" Debbie said helplessly.
"Sure," Joe said. "It couldn’t hurt. Mimi will protect him, what could happen?"
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