Happily Never After

Part 16

Chapter 15

"Here you go sweetie," Valka said as she carefully handed Astrid the cup of hot cocoa. Astrid cradled it with both hands before blowing on the surface.

"Thanks," Astrid sighed before looking towards Stoick and Hiccup who were in the kitchen on the phone with the police. After Hiccup had revealed what had happened at the fair, coupled with the, now smashed, GPS device was all the reason Stoick needed to call the police and file a report. Hiccup joined his dad to help fill in any more personal details while Astrid tried to cool off. Zephyr had been given some paper and crayons while Nuffink had become a bit fussy. Valka cooed at her grandbaby while holding a stuffed cactus out for the boy to grab.

"Well?" Astrid asked a bit forcefully when the two came out of the kitchen.

"The report was filed but the police say they can't do anything unless we saw Eret place the device on the vehicle. Though dad is bringing the pieces down to the station tomorrow and they promised that they would look into tracking where it came from." Hiccup relayed.

"He must have done it... right Hiccup?" Astrid said while beginning to question herself.

"I do have to ask, why Hiccup's car?" Valka pondered aloud. "Shouldn't Astrid's car have been the main target?"

"My car is in the shop, it has been for the last three days," Astrid told them. "So I've been taking Hiccup's car to work."

"Astrid, does your workplace have exterior cameras?" Stoick asked in a serious tone. "I'm going to ask Tower security to pull the parking lot CCTV from the last two weeks though I doubt the device could have been planted there."

"Uhm... I think we do have them outside." Astrid thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think we do. Two years ago we had a vandalism problem in the neighbourhood and my boss put some up. I think he has direct access to the feeds."

"Has anything else happened that was strange Astrid?" Valka asked.

"No no," Astrid mumbled. "Alexi's wedding is coming up and..."

"I see you thought of something dear." Valka pressed.

"It's my mother. She's been extremely quiet the past week." Astrid frowned. "She made such a big fuss about Alexi's wedding and me not telling her that I had kids and then.... Poof... nothing."

"Astrid, didn't Eret say he got information about us from your mother?" Hiccup's eyes widened as he remembered that smug statement.

"Why that good-for-nothing woman. I knew I should have punched her harder the last time."

"Wait what?!" Hiccup exclaimed as he and Astrid blinked in shock at Valka. "Mom when did you punch Astrid's mother?!"

"And did someone film it?!" Astrid asked instead.

"Now now, that's not important," Valka tried to change the topic.

"MOM!" Hiccup exclaimed before turning to his father "Dad, did you know about this?"

"Uhm... well...," Stoick uttered.

"Sweetie don't give your father a hard time. He wasn't there." Valka interjected. Hiccup nodded, turning back to his mom. "Though Gobber was and he was cheering me on,"

"Oh Thor," Hiccup groaned while covering his eyes with his hand in exasperation. "Of course he was,"

Valka wiped the sweat off her brow with the white towel she had placed on top of the bench near the tennis court.

"That was a good match," Her opponent said as they walked towards her, twirling their racket. "Those serves of yours are still killers,"

"Thanks. I haven't had time to play this month. I thought I was getting rusty." Valka answered back.