Back to Kadic

Part 1

Jeremy Belpois awoke with a start. Hearing a whimper in the darkness, he reached for the bedside light.

"No. Please leave it off..." The whimpering voice pleaded.

"What's wrong, Princess?" Jeremy asked.

"The same dream again... about my father." She said.

Jeremy stood up from their bed and walked to her side, reaching out for her hand. It was trembling.

"It's ok, Einstein's here." Jeremy said in a soothing voice as he knelt down and held her. He could barely make out her soft face, her pink hair, and the tears trickling down her cheek. He held her close. "Come back to bed, we have a big day tomorrow, it's our ten year reunion! Everyone's going to be there, even Kiwi!"

"I can't wait to see everyone! It's been so long. I hope Sissi's there" Aelita smiled, and they went back to sleep.

"Bark Bark!", the old dog yipped, trying to wake Odd Della Robbia.

"Five more minutes Kiwi! You can wait to go out until then."

"BARK BARK!" Kiwi sounded as he grabbed the blanket with his mouth and pulled it off his still ¾ sleeping master "BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLL!"

"ALRIGHT! I'm up, I'm up!" Odd said groggily. "What's the hurry old man?" Odd asked while rubbing his eyes. "it's not like we have anything... ... to... ... do... OH CRAP! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME EARLIER!" Odd shouted as he realized the reunion was today. "Kiwi! We have to hurry! Or we'll be late!"

Odd heard his cell phone buzzing on the bedside table

"Hello?" Odd answered "Yes Hunny, I'm on my way now! No I didn't sleep in. No... well, kinda, but I'm up now, and that's the important part. I'll be there in ten minutes to get you..." Odd was frantically trying to get dressed while on the phone "I love you too Sissi."

"Ulrich, are you almost ready to go?" Yumi asked. "I want to show off my new husband to everyone! But if you take much longer, we'll never get there!"

"I guess, but I don't know why we're going anyway." Ulrich Stern said. "I mean after everything that happened there, I'm surprised you're as eager as you are to go back."

Yumi looked down at her hands and frowned "A lot of hard times, but also a lot of good memories that I wouldn't trade for anything..." Yumi said. "We have a long drive ahead of us. We should get going"

Odd and Sissi were the first to arrive at Kadic boarding school. There were still several hours before the opening of the 3 day event was to start.

At the door they were greeted by Jim Morales, their old phys-ed teacher, and general chaperone. Jim gave Odd a firm handshake. Odd pulled him into a strong hug.

"Jim, it's good to see you again." Odd said. In the years following the shutdown of the super computer, he and Jim became close.

"Sissi! Again, I am sorry about your father." Jim said as he gave her a loving, almost parental hug "I lost a good friend when he died. Like I said at the funeral, If you need anything, you call old Jimbo, and I'll come running. Ya know, I use to be a grief councilor years ago... But, I'd rather not talk about it."

"It's good to see you Jim." Sissi said feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about her father the late Principal Delmas. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, I forgot!" Jim added "You are all assigned to your old rooms. And I expect all of the school rules to be followed to the letter."

Both Odd and Sissi half laughed at the statement, and looked at each other. Both thinking, 'As if they ever were followed' They each went to their respective rooms and unpacked for the long weekend.