The Sequel. The Little Rose.

Chapter Forty-seven. Grandparent Protection Units.

The boys broke up with laughter at the sight of a little Rose refusing to eat cotton candy.  Silas ruffled Sang's hair to Gabe's disgust and Victor's entertainment.

"Peanut.  A zombie brain maker?  That is fantastic." Nathan declared.  "Do you have those plans stored anywhere?" he asked, grinning with delight when Sang nodded and pointed to the Sunstone chest.

"Cupcake, where's that one do you know?  Please tell me it still exists." Luke asked, nodding at the TV screen where a picture of the cauldron was frozen.

Sang shrugged, "In storage.  It was on the list of contents Mr D gave me.  Do you want to get it down here for next Halloween?" she asked sweetly. 

"Oh, fuck no."  North declared.  "No way do we want that thing in the same state as you and Luke, Baby.  Masterpiece or not.  You've gone this long without cavities or diabetes.  Let's keep it like that please."

Sean watched Luke and Sang look at each.  He put his hand over his mouth to hide his own grin.  Catching Owen's eye they both looked amused as Kota denied North his wish, as he firmly asserted the pair of them could be trusted to use it only once a year not daily as he envisaged.  "Yeah, and birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Easter, Labour Day; the list goes on," he knew, but kept the thought to himself as he grinned at Sang and continued to watch his little Pookie take on the world.

*******

Little Rose sat at the kitchen table with her legs swinging.  She rather thought she had to do something, anything, about that bad Mrs Jones across the road.  She was always mean to her Grammy and Grampa. 

She had tried to poison them with sprouts last summer. Then she had tried to tell her Grammy that she wasn't a proper grandmother because she didn't do "grandmother" things.  Rose's indignation continued to rise as she thought about it.  Her Grammy, who was obviously the best Grammy in the whole world, did not need to learn stupid knitting to be a "proper grandma".  She was perfect just the way she was and so was her Grampa.  He did not need Mrs Jones telling him how to grow roses either.  His were way better than hers.  Everyone knew that. Plus, Rose certainly hadn't forgotten her yelling at her and poor sweet Spotty dog.  Over a single measly daisy.

Yep, something needed to be done, Rose decided.  They had important stuff to do, and she needed an early warning system just in case the neighbourhood sticky beak tried to interfere when they were setting out the fish pond they had planned for Grampa.

She was really glad Grammy and Grampa shared their computer stuff with her, Rose thought as she started another Google search while she looked for answers to their security problems.  Her fingers halted as she came across an interesting site and her eyes lit up as she read.  Ten minutes later a plan began to form as she sat back, and smiled happily as her legs began swinging gently again.  Her Grammy and Grampa could relax now.  She'd keep them safe and they would love this surprise, she just knew they would.  After all, they liked things to go off with a bang.

Grammy rose from where she knelt at the sight of smoke pouring down the driveway, and almost screeched. "Oh my god.  Smoke.  There's a fire!  Quick Rose, head towards the back of the garden.  Go on, I'll fetch Grampa and find a hose or something." 

Rosie looked around and immediately relaxed.  "It's just smoke Grammy.  No flames.  I promise.  It's the security system I put in place this morning when I woke up.  I planned it all out earlier this week and made it yesterday."  Rose explained earnestly, just as Grammy took a deep breath of relief when she saw Grampa come out the back door.

"I smell smoke," Grampa claimed "and now I see it.  I want you two to move down to the back of the garden, while I investigate."

"No need, Grampa.  It's your new security system I put in this morning for you."  Rose piped up happily.  "No flames at all.  I promise.  I was going to show you later, but someone must have been snooping around and set it off.  Do you want to go look?"