Hi Mum, It's Sammy (The Return of Clone 63 - Part 6)

During my working day, it was all pretty much the same routine. Answer a few calls, reassure old Mrs Wilkins that no one was spying on her (twice), write a few tickets and generally do all the mundane stuff that police are expected to do.

But it's becoming increasingly clear that I must write reports on citizens, if I want another promotion. There's no time to do that during my work hours, I'm going to have to write those reports during my off hours.

To get some information so I could even start a report, I first tried asking questions of the various people I met during the day. All of the answers I got were either vague or evasive. I was never going to write a report based on them.

So I was reduced to digging through someone's trash, just to find something I could write a freaking report on. I don't normally mind dirt but rummaging through trash is taking dirt to a whole new level. One that I'm not comfortable with.

Maybe giving up police work to do more with the resort is a plan. At least I won't have this to deal with.



Then again, I'm not the home body that Jer is. I need to get out, talk to different people. I'm sure I'd go stir crazy if I spent too much time at home.

Eventually I found a few little things that could make up the basis of a report. It was enough, I called it a day and went home.

I was on my way to take a quick shower when I noticed Monica on the floor.

"Monica, sweetpea, what you are doing?"  I'm afraid that I startled her, she made a little eep noise then turned around to see me.

"I was checking under the bed for monsters," Monica explained to me with a serious expression. "Monsters love to live under beds, Pop."

"Did you find any?" I was using my cop voice again. "I'll have to arrest them if they are under your bed without permission."

"Thank goodness, no." She looked up at me. "Could you really arrest a monster, Pop?"

"Any monster that dares scare my family is busted. Don't you worry about that, Monica." I gave her a brief hug. "Is your father paying proper attention to you now?"

She smiled at me. "Oh, definitely, Pop. It's been really great."

"That's fantastic. I'm glad to hear it. How's school?"

She shrugged. "Not exciting, Pop, but I'll live."

"I know how that feels, Monica. You'll be changing schools soon, you and Goby are nearly teens." Gah, when the hell did that happen? When in the hell did my kids age so much? "What did you do after school?"

"Goby and I did some more sailboarding after school."

I had to smile at that comment. It's becoming obvious that all our children are going to love the water, even if that love is more natural for some of them than others.

"So, who's better at sailboarding?"

She sighed. "Goby is. He's better at everything."

"Sweetpea, he's not better at school than you are. And I told you before, I'm sure we can find you something that you'll be best at. Writing, painting, music," I paused when I noticed Monica was frowning.

"Pop, I'm not into arty stuff. That's all arty," she explained.

"I'm sorry, Monica. Would something like chess suit? It's something that I need to work on." The force still likes every cop to have some skills in logic. But I've always found it difficult to play chess well. I'm more a doer than a thinker.

She shook her head. "No, Pop. I don't like chess. That's too much sitting and thinking for me."

"True, that's why I'm not overfond of it either." I looked at Monica. She looked nearly ready to cry. "Sweetpea, have you ever thought about what you'd like to do as a living? Once you're old enough and ready to leave home?"

She immediately brightened. "A magician, Pop."

"Magician?"

"There was a magician in the Very Berry Bear movie. It was so cool. He did so many tricks on stage..." she paused and her face fell again. "Do you think only boys can be magicians, Pop?"

I shook my head. "If you want to be a magician, then you certainly can be. If you are the only girl magician, we can charge twice as much for entry to your show. I'll look into what you'll need to know to do well. Is that okay?"

"Pop, you are the best." She gave me a big hug.

Since Monica was looking much happier, I decided it was time to find out what Jericho had been up to for the day.

"Hey, blue and beautiful, how has your day been?"

"Well, for one, I decided it was time to sell the parrot. We never seem to have much time for the bird. It was spending all of its time stuck in the cage. Someone would usually remember to give it food and water but..."

I nodded. "That was a good move. With the kids, we just don't have time for pets. I miss the pup we had back on the plains though." I thought a moment. "Do you think the new owners will treat it better?"

"I hope so, Sammy. But seriously, it wouldn't take much attention for the bird to have a better life."

"Also, I spent some time over at the resort," he said. "I had to test that the pool and the pool slide were very safe for our guests."

I raised an eyebrow at my grinning mate. "Had to? Seriously? Did you think it could be broken?"

"The manager must personally test every facility of the resort. It says so in the manual," replied Jericho very seriously.

"Sure, Jer. And when did you write that manual?" I laughed as I asked the question.

He winked. "Last week, when I had the workers start on the pool."

"I'm glad you had a good day."

"How was yours, Sammy?"

"Just an average day for a cop. But I'm home now and that's always better."

He glanced out the porthole. "Getting dark, better put the toddlers to bed."

"I'll do that, Jer. I haven't seen them all day," I said.

I put Anemone in one crib and then Seahorse in the other.

"Night, night, Seahorse. Sleep well, little man."

"Nigh, nigh, Pop Pop," was the sleepy reply.

I love the kids so much. I made sure that both toddlers were well settled for the night.

And first thing in the morning, before I dress then head off for work, I go and get them out of the cribs.

It's worrying to think how close Seahorse and Anemone are to starting school. In no time at all, there will be no babies around to cuddle. Of course, no diapers or potties either but that's not much consolation.

Well, I doubt that we will go long before we add more babies to the household. Jericho would be most unhappy if he had no little ones at all. I don't want him to be unhappy.  And, to be honest,  it wouldn't make me very happy either.

---

And then came the big party.

I knew the day was coming. I'm happy and proud that our oldest children are about to officially be teens.

And sad too. Our oldest are going to be that much closer to leaving home.

Still, birthdays must be celebrated and so we invited over some of our friends. There was a lot of shouting and party noise makers.

Goby went first. What a splendid young man Goby is shaping up to be.

Monica, our oldest daughter is now a lovely young lady.

I am starting to believe what Jericho once told me. That Striders live much longer than humans and someone bonded to a Strider would share their lifespan. Because we've been together for over a decade now, yet Jericho looks like he did the day we met. And no matter how much I stare in the mirror, I see no trace of wrinkles or grey hair on me. And I've noticed that you can see a few grey hairs and wrinkles on the other dads of Goby and Monica's friends.

The toddlers spent the evening quietly playing with toys. I particularly like Anemone's little crocodile. Anemone calls it Smiley.

I am glad that she bites the toy, not the other way around.


Bonus pics

Glitched Jericho - shoes under his tail fins...

Jericho has spent some time exploring the dive spots for me.

And I must say that the development team put some time into creating these locations.

Including the caves to explore

And of course the occasional shark.

Goby seems determined to be in ugly clothes every time he ages up.