Nadine Book 7

5. City Garden

I wake up in my bed alone the next morning. I got my pajamas on and everything.

Omar looks at me over his paper. "Sleep well?"

"Yes I did. I don't remember going to bed or putting this on though."

"Marcus got you ready for bed and put you in there."

I snuggle with Johen. "You fall asleep outside too?"

Omar sits up. "It wasn't only him. You, Thora, Coral, Johen, Elroy, and Tye passed out in the pools. Dipak had to fish you out and Marcus put everyone in a room. Frode and Samson showed up for the girls. Elek was carrying Elroy around. Maybe you could not go so crazy today."

Elek winks. "But if you do, it's fine. That was hilarious to watch. All of it. From when you started having breakdowns because you were getting tired, to watching Dipak fish everyone out. That was worth it."

Johen stretches. "Where did I pass out?"

"On a raft in 1 of the pools. Nadine and Tye were on tubes in the slower river. I think Elroy fell asleep halfway down a slide and then sunk to the bottom of that pool. Thora was on a raft in the slow river, but she fell off, so she was being pushed around by the current. Coral was at the bottom of the deep pool. Dipak had to dive in to get her out."

Elroy glares at Elek. "You should have told us to go to bed before we passed out."

Elek shakes his head. "You were having fun. We would eventually have got you out. It was fine."

Omar nods. "Or we wouldn't have, and you'd be waking up in the pool now."

"Omar is a very bad babysitter. He watches and analyzes everything. He will not change things. He will always let them happen, and then we talk about it later. Please don't be like that."

Elek chuckles. "Yea, I noticed that when he wanted to leave you there and go to bed. I told a brain to send Dipak and Marcus because you passed out. They showed up with Frode and Samson. So it worked out."

Johen smirks. "Great. Elek's the responsible adult while we're here."

Tye laughs. "I'm surprised I'm not still in the pool."

"You know what we should do is work on the China inn."

Omar nods. "I wouldn't mind going to see the plot of land you got. Tre was saying it was the biggest so far."

"We were thinking of making the pool area like the city garden. I mean, more exciting and fun like Tye's. But a lot of peaceful pools and statues and things as well."

Tye looks at me. "Are we still doing that? No one is going to be able to lead it."

"I'm not letting it sit there and do nothing. I'll lead it, I guess. I don't want to, but once it gets going, I think it'll be fine. I know you're already busy with your inns, but maybe each of you can help me out a little. Then, once it gets going, it won't need me to do anything right?"

"No babydoll, they are constant."

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm not letting it sit empty. I'll do it. And I have a whole table to help me come up with the designs. I'll get something in there, so it can at least make money. Then maybe I'll get another mate and be like f*****g take this and deal with it. I'm done."

Tye and Johen crack up laughing at the same time. "She's going to find another mate, hand him keys, and say f**k off. See you when it's done, I'm done dealing with it."

Johen nods. "Give him a kiss and shove his ass to China. Get that done for me."

I smile. "I guess we won't have to worry about who the next 1 gets along with, he'll be in China."

All of us laugh. Then I connect to the boys feathers.

"Hi baby."

"Hi sexy. Can we go to China? Omar wants to see it."

"Grab Omar's arm, Angel."

"You got everyone, Marcus."

"Omar, are you the 1 wanting to go there?"

"Yes. I'd like to see it."

"Ok. Do not lose the kids, Omar. Keep them together. Do not follow the one doing the most interesting stuff around. You have to keep them together."

Johen says. "Yea, Elek is the responsible adult here. You might want to tell him too."

Dipak says, "For f***s sake. Elek, don't lose the kids. Keep them together. Don't feed Tye to a bear. Keep Nadine from getting overexcited. Keep everyone out of the market. Stay out of the house area because they are teenagers and will get into trouble. And do not ever let Nadine near an auction. I don't care what they are auctioning off. Keep her away from it."

I smile big. "I win."

He cracks up laughing.

Marcus says, "Everyone stay together. And you have 2 hours. If you're not back by then, we will come and get you. And you'll be in trouble then."

Elroy half laughs. "Ok daddy. God, you guys are worse than Elek."

Marcus coughs. "They are younger than you, Elroy. Elek has only watched them at a pool. They are going to have a whole city over there. And they are so damn sneaky. Have fun but stay together. 2 hours and take a brain with you."

"Ok. Love you."

"We love you too."

"I'LL MAKE US A DOOR."

Omar shakes his head. "Maybe we should eat and everyone change out of their pajamas first."

Tye jumps up. "Good plan. You need anything, woman?"

"Human dress, underwear, and flat shoes."

"Grab me a clean black outfit."

"Do you want to run home and get stuff? We can make a loop."

Elek stands up. "Yea, that would be nice."

"Tye grab some paper. Maybe we will be able to sketch later. If we don't pass out in the pool again."

"Give us 10 minutes or so."

I nod. "I'll be in the bath when you get back."

"5 minutes then."

I giggle and run to the bathroom.

Tye yells, "HURRY THE HELL UP."

"I'll help you in the bath hun." Johen walks by Tye and puts his middle finger up at him.

"f*****g ass."

"I'm gonna get some ass."

I roll my eyes and lock the bathroom door.

"COME ON WOMAN. I WAS PLAYING."

I hear them laughing through the door.

"HAVE FUN WITH YOUR HAND ASSHOLE."

I take a quick shower.

I get out and Tye is coming in. "Think you could lock the owner out, woman?"

I open the towel, so he can see me naked.

"Mmm"

He takes a step for me. The door flies open and crashes into him. He falls into the counter. I wrap back up quickly. Johen walks in. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

I laugh so hard.

Omar shakes his head in the doorway. "No. Both of you out. Let her get dressed so we can go. OUT. LET'S GO."

They both grumble. I get dressed and comb my hair. I get out to the sitting room and everyone is ready.

"What happened?"

"Johen took Tye out with the door."

Tye makes us a door to China while everyone laughs.

We walk around the land I won. Then we go to the city garden.

Elroy crosses his arms. "This would be neat for a waterpark. Make the pools deep and put dragon statues on them. And these trees are really different. And you need a gong. You can not forget the gong."

"Definitely."

Elek smiles. "You have to add some gazebos with funny shaped roofs over some of the pools. With the bridges to get to them."

I jump up and down. "I CAN MAKE A FLOATING RIVER TOO."

"And there is the overexcited."

"I CAN MAKE A FAST ONE TOO. WITH A WATERFALL."

"CHECK THIS OUT. IT'S A BANYAN TREE." I take off running for Elroy.

"ELROY STAY TOGETHER. GET OVER HERE."

"I SAW A BLUE TREE OVER THAT WAY. I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND IT AGAIN." Tye takes off running in another direction.

"YOU SHOULD DO SOME OF THESE SHAPED BONZAI TREES TOO. THESE ARE REALLY NEAT LOOKING." Johen yells from somewhere.

Tye yells, "IT'S THE BLUE WISTERIA TREE. I GUESS IT COME'S IN PURPLE TOO. THIS IS NEAT TOO BABYDOLL. IT'S THE CHERRY BLOSSOM. IT'S PINK. YOU WOULD LOVE IT."

I look at Johen and see the gong. "I WANT TO RING THE GONG." I take off running for it.

I must say it too loudly because we all run for it.

Johen hits it before anyone else gets there.

"I SAID I WANTED TO DO IT."

"YOU CAN. I WANTED TOO." He hands me a hammer.

I raise my hand to swing it and Elek grabs it. "No. I do not know what it's for. We don't want the police raining down on us."

"BUT."

"Wait, and I'll figure it out."

I cross my arms and stomp my feet. "I WANT TO ONCE."

"No."

Tye grabs it and hits the gong.

"TYE, I WANT TO."

"HE TOLD YOU NO." Tye holds it above my head.

I slam my foot down on his. Then I jump up and try to take it.

Johen gets knocked in the pond somehow.

Elek takes the hammer away from Tye. "Now why would you even do that to her?"

I sit down and cry.

"JOHEN GET OUT OF THERE NOW."

"I'M TRYING ASSHOLE."

"I wanted to hit it too."

"SHE STEPPED ON MY FOOT."

"So you take the 1 thing she wants and do it in front of her? JOHEN OUT NOW."

"This is actually nice. It's warm."

"I want to try." Elroy jumps in.

I fall over and cry. Then I see a stick.

"GET OUT OF THERE NOW ELROY."

I grab the stick and I run after Tye. "I'M GOING TO STAB YOU TYE."

Tye runs behind Elek.

Marcus and Dipak crack up laughing. They are standing by Omar.

"SHE'S TRYING TO STAB ME."

"GET OUT OF THE WATER YOU 2. NOW. NADINE STOP TRYING TO STAB HIM." Elek takes my stick and hands me the hammer at the same time.

I run over to the gong and hit it hard.

"GOD DAMN IT." Elek takes the hammer.

I sit on the ground and cry again. Then I take off running. I shove Tye, and he goes flying in the water. "YOU'RE MEAN."

Elek rubs his eyes.

Marcus comes over to us. "WHAT THE f**k ARE YOU DOING? GET THE f**k OUT OF THAT NOW. THIS IS NOT A SWIMMING POOL. DO YOU WANT TO GET US KICKED OUT OF CHINA?"

They climb out. "Sorry. Fell in."

"It did not look like you fell in. Use your f*****g heads."

I smile. "I wasn't swimming. I'm good."

"YOU TRIED TO STAB ME WOMAN." Tye pulls himself up on the edge. I run at him and shove him back in.

Marcus smacks my butt. "ENOUGH. Go sit over there."

I cry in the grass.

"Good job keeping them together. Next time, not so close together."

Elek laughs as the boys get out of the pool.

"Go over by that door. You need to get cleaned up again. They don't clean that water. People piss in there."

"Now are you calmed down?" I nod at Marcus. "Come here."

I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips. He holds me up by my butt so my feet hang. "Do you still love me?"

"Of course, I love you angel. I was trying to get your attention, so you would stop." He kisses my head. "What kind of question was that? You know I love you more than anything."

I lay my head on his chest and snuggle him. Then I play with his hair.

"I think someone is tired."

I shake my head. "No nap."

"Ok."

We go to the room and Marcus sits with me on the couch. I snuggle in and play with his hair. "Dipak, can you?"

"Yea, just a second. Go bathe, you all smell like piss."

Dipak sits on the couch and Marcus lays me across them. "NO. NO NAP."

"Sweetheart, you need a nap. Then you can play at the pool."

I shake my head and cry.

Marcus lays me on the couch anyway and puts my legs on Dipak. Then he pushes my head onto his lap. He rubs my head. "They need a nap. You have to trick the boys into it though. Either let Dracul talk to them for 5 minutes or put a movie on with low volume."

Dipak rubs my legs. "We'll show you."

I feel myself getting lifted, but I am too asleep to care.