Jessica and the Full House

chapter 4

"So, what's for dinner?" Stephanie asked.

"Barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli." Emily smiled.

"That's sounds like a healthy meal." Stephanie smiled.

"I hope it's to your liking, dear." Emily smiled back.

Stephanie smiled back, then looked to Jessica with a soft sigh. "You're so lucky your mother is still around, Jessica."

"Isn't your mother still with you?" Darla asked.

Stephanie looked softly over to Darla. "She died in a car accident a long time ago."

"Oh, my...." Darla frowned.

"It's okay..." Stephanie said softly.

"So, who lives with you?" Darla asked then.

"Well, my sisters of course," Stephanie explained. "And there's Dad, and Uncle Jesse and Uncle Joey."

"Wait, isn't one of them part of a band?" Darla asked.

"Yeah, Uncle Jesse," Stephanie nodded once. "You ever heard of Jesse and the Rippers?"

"Sure have." Darla said.

Stephanie then gave a small nod.

"Your uncle is that Jesse?!" Darla asked in astonishment.

"The very same." Stephanie smiled brightly.

"That is so awesome!" Darla beamed.

Stephanie smiled sheepishly.

"Broccoli, Stephanie?" Emily offered.

"Yes, please." Stephanie replied, curious to try a roasted vegetable.

Emily smiled and added some of the vegetables to her dinner plate.

"Yuck." Darla winced.

"Now, Darla..." Patrick sighed.

"I know, I know, vegetables help make you grow big and strong..." Darla said, but she still tried to avoid having broccoli being put on her plate.

"Well, your brother doesn't seem to mind the broccoli, which is rather strange." Stephanie said.

Atticus happily ate most of his broccoli, but then stopped once Stephanie glanced to him.

"Oh, gag..." Darla shuddered. "Is it too late to go to Amber's for dinner?"

"Yes..." Emily replied, then plopped more broccoli on the little girl's plate.

"Oh, Mom, more broccoli for me, please." Atticus smiled.

"My, my, someone wants to grow up to be big and strong." Emily giggled before placing the last of the broccoli on her son's plate, having a feeling he would want as much as he could get.

Patrick looked down to their puppy.' Patch looked from his kibble bowl and only gave a shrug as he wasn't sure why Atticus was acting this way either.

'Wow, he will do anything to not let himself be weaker than someone else.' Jessica thought to herself.

The family then ate their dinner with their guest.

"I'd like to see more of that boy, Skippy..." Drell turned to a man who was wearing an apron and looked very small and weak as he watched this through a crystal ball.

Skippy was curious of why and then he saw Atticus eating more broccoli than any of the others. Drell kept watching the Fudo family eat with their guest.

"You ever get the feeling you're being watched?" Stephanie asked seemingly out of the blue.

"No." The Fudo family shook their heads.

"Hmm..." Stephanie shrugged and then went back to her dinner.

And where after a while, all the food was eaten.

"That was really delicious, Mrs. Fudo." Stephanie smiled.

"Thank you, dear." Emily smiled.

Stephanie smiled back. Emily then collected the dishes.

"See?" Jessica smiled to Stephanie. "We're a totally normal family."

"Yeah." Darla also smiled.

Stephanie couldn't help but have odd eyes whenever the Fudo emphasized the word 'normal', but she didn't say anything.

"Say, isn't it getting late?" Atticus asked.

"My dad should be here any minute," Stephanie said. "I asked him to come pick me up around 8:00."

"Cool." Darla smiled.

"I'll wait with you in the living room." Jessica said.

Stephanie smiled and nodded, then went into the living room on the couch.

"Phew!" Patch wiped his forehead. "I hate barking randomly, it makes me feel so dumb!"

"I know, I continue to hear random stuff being said from each bark." Atticus told him.

"Yeah, you sounded like you were having a delusional rant," Patrick agreed. "What does 'fox calculator cargo hold' mean?"

"It means I hate barking like an idiot." Patch groaned.

"Oh, poor Patch..." Patrick gently pet the puppy.

"So, when a dog is told to speak, what do they usually say?" Darla asked.

"Usually a hello." Patch replied.

"Ohh." Darla smiled.

Patch smiled and nodded.

Eventually, Stephanie's dad came to pick her up and she let out a good night as she went to her home for the rest of her evening.

"And I was worried we'd get busted..." Jessica looked the most relieved. "Ya hear that, Drell? Our family secret is safe!"

Their house soon shook as the strong warlock appeared in the room.

"Oh, my..." Emily looked worried.