Inferno Part 3

~55~ Chucky

Sorry my updates have still been only once a day! We got a new puppy last weekend (hence why I was so busy) and she's as crazy as Happy the dog! We love her to pieces, but she's keeping me busy. Please continue to accept the one-a-day updates until our "Happy" gives me a chance to breathe and give you some bonuses!

Zoe's POV

"Mom, can I enter in that science competition that the high school is doing?"

She looks at me for a moment, pausing her stirring.

"You need to check with dad, Zo. I'm not sure," she says as she continues making a cake.

I sigh as I go to find him. He's in the backyard working on something.

"What are you doing?" I ask, sitting next to him in the dirt.

He smirks at me and kisses my head. "I still feel bad about the spot in Aunt Ellie's yard that Happy destroyed, so I'm trying to build her a bench."

"Why?"

He shrugs. "Our mom had one in the backyard and it was Ellie's favorite. It got destroyed in a bad storm one year, and she cried about it for years. Thought maybe she would want another one."

I smile. I'm so thankful that somehow the stars aligned and Jake is able to be my dad. I just love him so much.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Always," he says as he puts his hammer down and gives me his full attention.

"The high school is doing another science competition. This time it's with competing schools and it's going to be televised. I know that last time didn't go well, but I was hoping I could do it. I promise I won't cheat."

Dad looks at me, and I can tell he's thinking hard about it.

"Zoe, I'm sorry. I told you that the rest of this year I didn't want you doing any more competitions."

"Dad, please. I already talked to Maxwell. We are going to do it together. Between the both of us, I really think we could make it to the State science competition. Nobody our age has ever made it to that one before at this school."

Dad scratches the stubble on his chin. "You told Maxwell that you purposefully tried to ruin his project last time?"

"Yes sir"

"How did he take it?"

I shrug. "It hurt his feelings, but he's fine now. Please...I really want to do this."

Dad picks up a nail and turns it over in his hands, thinking.

"Ok. I'll let you, but you listen to my words very carefully young lady."

I nod.

"If you cheat even one ounce, I will give you a spanking so hard, last time will seem like a tickle. I will also ban you from doing any science competitions for the rest of your school career."

"Yes sir"

He nods and kisses my forehead. "Don't destroy this second chance, Zo."

"I promise I won't," I say, clapping my hands. I'm SO excited!

"I'm going to call Maxwell right now!"

Dad groans. "Oh great. Me and my wonderful parenting just gave you a reason to talk to a boy."

I smile as I kiss his cheek. "Love you"

He beams as he nods. "Love you more. Go and call your boy!"

I chuckle as I go inside and talk to Maxwell. The two of us talk for two hours about our plans for THE BEST project of all time. Poor Spanky the ribbon is going to look even punier against the mountain of a trophy we will get for winning this.

When mom makes me hang up and eat dinner, dad is watching me.

"You two talked a long time."

I nod. "We came up with the coolest idea. We're going to build a robot that can do whatever we tell it to."

Dad stops mid-chew. "That sounds terrifying"

Mom, Ethan, and I all laugh. "It's going to be cool."

"Can you teach it to train Happy?"

I smile. "I don't think even Maxwell and I can do that."

Dad laughs and changes the subject to Ethan and soccer.

"You and Nolan do good at tryouts today?"

"Yeah. Nolan is amazing. He will make the team for sure"

"You're good too, kid. Don't compare yourself."

"I'm not, I'm just saying he's good. This is the first time he's ever been able to try out for a team."

"Really?"

"Yeah. His grandma could never take him to and from games and practices because she was too sick, and his mom was always high."

Dad says nothing, but his face flashes pain.

"So you're relieved he's good, and he will make the team?"

"Yeah"

Dad smiles. "You both are such good kids. We sure got lucky, Sarah."

Mom nods and kisses Ethan's cheek. "Yes we did."

I spend the next three weeks having Maxwell at my house every single day. The robot isn't even close to ready, but we're starting to make a little headway.

"That thing still looks creepy as hell," dad says, inspecting our robot.

"Dad...."

Dad sighs. "Man Zoe, I think you need to be the parent with as much as you scold me."

"Can't help it. You say bad words a lot."

Dad chuckles and kisses my head. "Yeah, and I got in trouble as a kid a lot because of it. Maybe I should have listened to my old man more than I did. Then I wouldn't be getting my ass handed to me by a 12 year old."

"Dad..."

"Sorry, mom. That robot looks quite creepy, ma'am. Would you mind making it look less like Chucky the doll and more like Elmo before I wet my trousers?"

Maxwell laughs, not used to how goofy dad, Aunt Ellie, and Liam are.

"It might look creepy, Mr. Freeman, but just watch what it can do!" Maxwell says as he pushes a button, to try and get the robot to pick up dad's can of soda.

It picks it up, but it doesn't want to let it go. Instead, it spins around and sloshes soda all over the table, and all over dad.

Dad tries not to laugh as he gets a towel to wipe off his soaking shirt. Once he realizes it's not going to cut it, he takes his shirt off.

"Not sure what Chucky the robot has against me, but I'm not sleeping here if it's in this house. My luck, that thing will come to life and kill me, if that's what it does to my poor soda."

Maxwell laughs again as he helps dad clean the mess on the table.

"I think we need to tweak a few things," he says to me once the mess is cleaned up.

Dad nods and starts talking in an Elmo voice. "I'm too creepy. Please make me nice," he says, sounding EXACTLY like Elmo. He walks up the stairs and leaves us alone.

Maxwell is laughing so hard, he knocks the robot over.

"Man I love your dad. It's going to be fun when Chucky wins this thing."

"We're naming it Chucky?" I grin.

Maxwell nods and smiles. "I think we have to. It might just bring us good luck."