Passage to Australia [Passage to Australia Trilogy Book One]

Chapter VII Consequences

Chapter VII

Consequences

By the time the four delinquents reached deck #7 they were out of breath, both from taking the stairs so quickly and their uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh, that was sooo worth getting up at four in the morning!"  Janine exclaimed happily as they walked down the hall together, gradually catching their breath.

"I agree," Brandon smiled.

"She said it wasn't over," Paris mused.  "Do you suppose she means to get back at us?"

"For what?  We were simply paying her back."  Janine frowned.

"We'll have to wait and see," Erik shrugged.  "But I'd advise you to be on your guard."  He took his leave of them at the door to his stateroom.  "See you guys in the morning."  No one corrected his statement.

"Uh, girls, I think you'd better come here."  He said carefully when he had opened the door and glanced inside.  The cousins peered over his shoulder.  Paris groaned, Brandon sighed, and Janine gave a disgusted snort.

"Would you mind telling us where you four have been?"  Uncle Parker sat on the edge of the bed regarding them with a frown more stern than usual.  Erik couldn't blame him; they'd been more trouble than any sane man could handle in three days.  

Aunt Fiona sighed from her perch on the couch, and Paul smirked knowingly from the desk chair.

Erik took a deep breath and took a few steps into the room.  He glanced back at the girls but they still stood irresolutely in the doorway.  He was obviously the elected spokesman.

"Do you want the whole truth or the abbreviated version?"  He asked hopefully, while knowing full well which his uncle would choose.

"The whole, unvarnished truth."  

Right.  

"Well, we just played a practical joke on that maid who woke the girls up yesterday morning," he started.

"You what?"  The shock on his aunt's face almost brought a smile to his face but he wisely kept it hidden.

"It was my idea."  He offered nobly.  It had worked for Paris when she pulled her rental car stunt.

"Now why don't I believe that?"  Parker asked sarcastically.

"It's true!"  Janine protested from the doorway.

Thanks, Janine!

"You guys are really trying to get back home, aren't you?"  Parker rose from his seat and put his hands on his hips.  "I have no idea what to do with you, or who to blame.  Somehow I think no single one is the troublemaker but you all feed off each other.  When you can get along, that is."  He added.

Erik squirmed uncomfortably and he heard shuffling feet behind him.

"We have no excuse, Uncle Parker," Brandon's voice said beside him.  She stood with humbly bowed head and stared at her slipper-ed feet.  Erik couldn't tell if she was acting or truly sorry.  

"You can say that again," Parker agreed vehemently.  "You're all confined to your rooms until further notice."  

"What about me?"  Paul looked up with a strange glint in his eyes.

"You're free to go where you want."  Parker put his hand to Fiona's back and guided her toward the door.  "Believe it or not," seemed to be an afterthought after one glance back at his moody nephew.  Paris and Janine shuffled out of his way and stood there for a minute staring at Erik.