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Another Party

Jaz woke up for the second night in a strange bed, and felt an overwhelming sense of disorientation wash over them. Only this morning, there wasn't even a familiar face to count on. They weren't alone, but it felt like it, because Jaz didn't know any of them other than the rudimentary details - like names. Jaz slipped out of bed without waking their room-mate, and headed downstairs. Jaz hoped someone they knew would be in the kid's chat room, but no dice on that one. Sighing deeply, Jaz went back upstairs to get ready for school. Penny greeted Jaz cheerfully, and offered to help Jaz organize their stuff in the closet. Jaz shrugged, and declined, not wanting to show how depressingly empty their small backpack of personal things really was.

From downstairs, there came a clear call to breakfast, and, realizing that once again they were going to get a hot meal before school, Jaz hurriedly stuffed their feet into their worn out sneakers and tried to tie them while running for the stairs. Giving up, they just were careful to not trip, and grabbed a plate of Eggs and Toast.

Everyone headed for the living room, which seemed odd when they had a REAL dining room, but who was Jaz to say? At least tying the shoes was finally accomplished, then food quickly disappeared. Jaz tried to help with dishes, but was summarily shooed out of the kitchen to head to school. Feeling even more disoriented, Jaz grabbed their school books and followed their foster siblings out of the front door.

In Del Sol Valley, Marnie's phone rang:

"Hello??" Marnie replied, grateful that at least her phone was actually working again. Finding out it was the bank definitely wasn't the best "welcome back" to phone calls, however.

Marnie listened, and the longer the phone call went on, the more her face fell. So much so, that the actress woman who ran the shelter seemed to feel the negative emotions and came in to investigate.

"Are you okay, Marnie?" she asked after Marnie hung up the phone.

"I am. I guess." Marnie replied, "Just not a nice phone call. More things going wrong."

"Oh? I'm so sorry. What is it this time?" the woman asked sympathetically.

"The bank was just calling to let me know the house was foreclosed upon and if I can't pay the balance due by next week, it goes up for auction. Apparently Bennie hasn't paid a single payment on the mortgage since we moved in. There's nothing I can do about it. I will be homeless - and jobless - after I leave this shelter." Marnie stated matter-of-factly. Looking away, she followed it up with a muttered, "And since I've lost the kids, I'm not sure it matters anymore."

"Oh, sweetie. Even though the kids are in care, you know you could always work to get them back! What can you do? What are your skills?"

"Cleaning? Feeding kids? ... and apparently I'm not all that good at that, either." Marnie said drily.

The actress gasped, and asked, "Nothing else? Hm. Well, there's plenty of things you can learn to do here. And I suggest you take advantage of Dr. Altman, a local therapist who donates her services here once a week, talking to our guests when they need someone to talk to. I can set up a time for her to meet with you, if you'd like."

"Oh. Well, I'll think about it..." Marnie said, then turned to look at the front door, where someone was knocking.

The actress answered the door, then turned to Marnie. "It's for you, honey."

Marnie looked in shock as none other than Bella Goth walked through the front door jauntily. "Marnie, sweetie, am I glad to have finally found you!" she said, holding out her arms as if to hug her.

Marnie dodged her, and went to sit down in the TV room, leaving room for Bella to sit beside her. "How are you, Bella? Better since Cassandra's violin was found, I'd imagine?" Marnie commented.

"Oh, sure. Things are much better now. Although I'm terribly sorry about Benji. And then Bennie leaving you high and dry. You poor thing. I wanted to stop by and give you an offer." Bella said, then paused to give Marnie a chance to respond.

"... An .. offer?" Marnie said, suspiciously.

"Yes. I've been looking for a housekeeper. We've also been talking about putting in another bedroom or two on our house, to accommodate the baby, and possibly to house live-in help. I know you're good at cleaning, and .. well, without the kids, I figured you would need something to do. We could offer you room and board as well as some money for the position. You would have time to yourself, too, for improving yourself and working to get your babies back." Bella stopped, and took a nervous breath, looking expectantly at Marnie.

"Bella...." Marnie sighed again, then continued, "I'll definitely need to think about it."

"Oh. Um, of course." Bella said, looking extraordinarily disappointed, "I just figured, since your home was going up for auction.. you would need a place to stay..."

Marnie looked at Bella, considering what her friend had said. "How did you find out about that?" she asked, unhappy that her business seemed to be all over the town.

"Oh, I went to your house to see you... and I found the foreclosure notice. So I called the bank, and they told me the rest. I also was able to find out where you were. I hurried right over. I mean, obviously, we'd have to wait to move you in until either Cassandra goes to college next year, or the addition is done, but I wanted you to have some hope of a home coming soon." Bella said, blithely.

Trying hard not to show their annoyance, Marnie mumbled something about being tired, and that she would definitely think about it. "I'll.. uh, call you." Marnie finished, and got up to retreat to her cottage where she could be alone for a while.

Bella sat there for a moment, looking rather confused at her friend's obvious depression, and uninterest in the charity offered to her. Finally, Sophia Nelson left the company of the other two young ladies living with her, and headed over towards Bella. "Everything okay, ma'am?" she asked, curiously.

Bella dusted off her dress, and pasted on a smile. "Of course, Ms. Nelson. I really appreciate all you do for the women here. Can I offer you a donation?"

Sofia brightened immediately, and showed Bella to her office for a more private chat.

Back in Willow Creek:

By the time Jaz got off the school bus, the skies had let loose. All of the kids piled off the bus and made a mad dash for the front door, all glancing worriedly at the sky.

Jaz and Penny chatted after coming in through the door, but Penny then remembered her homework, and wandered away. Jaz shrugged, and went into the front office to check the computer. Having a computer in the home was still a novelty, and, after checking for Colin on the chat app, they got up, and accepted a bowl of fresh salad from Layla.

"Thanks, Layla. I am hungry." Jaz said, then cringed at the clap of thunder from outside. "Yuck. I hate storms. How about you?"

"Actually, I like them." Layla said, with a smile, then she rolled her eyes, "Most of the other kids are afraid of them, so my bed is often a safe place to hide at a midnight storm. At least it's big enough for most everyone to hide under the covers together."

Both turned to look as the phone rang, and then, amazingly, Wendy Judd came in with the phone, "Jaz, phone call for you!"

Looking very confused, Jaz answered the phone timidly. "Hello?"

"Hiya sis! How is your new home??" Myles asked, then, without a pause, "I have the best home, in fact, my new foster parents are letting me throw a party for my birthday tonight! Can you come?"

Jaz paused, then asked Wendy. They had never been invited to, or even had, a birthday party. Jaz didn't really want to go to Myles' ... but who knew when they'd ever get another opportunity, so they'd better ask. Wendy agreed, and called Matt in, asking if he'd be willing to drop Jaz off. Matt agreed, as well, and asked where the party was.

"Myles? Where's the party?" Jaz asked, obediently.

"The Landgraab house, in Oasis Springs. So, can you come? We're going to play games, and have CAKE, and, yeah, it's going to be GREAT!"

Confused as to why it would be at the Landgraab house, but unwilling to ask, Jaz turned and relayed the information to Matt. He looked as surprised as she was. "Sure, I can take you there. What time?"

Myles, who apparently could hear Matt, replied "6 o'clock, okay? I'll see you then! Gotta go, I have other people to call!"

Jazz pulled the phone away from their ear, and looked at it bemusedly. "It's at six, apparently."

Matt nodded, smiled, and suggested Jaz go get ready, since that was less than an hour away.

Later, at the Landgraab's mansion in Oasis Springs:

The fun and games had already started by the time Jaz got there, but clearly Myles had been waiting for them. He handed Jaz a controller without missing a beat, and Jaz was quickly swept up into multiplayer party games.

Myles' whole club was there, and so was Phoenix, but Phoenix seemed to have mellowed out in the last day or two, because no mention was made of Jaz's new gender. The party continued until they were called to the kitchen by a caterer.

Myles, who seemed to have adjusted easily to the high life, gathered all his friends, and ran to blow out his candles.

There were presents, and cake, and food.. and then they were handed "party favors." Jaz's head was spinning by the time it was nearly time to go. They bid their goodbyes to their brothers, and it wasn't until Jaz got to Matt's car that they realized they'd never asked exactly WHY Myles was at the Landgraab's house.

Bonus image:

Myles' teenage Makeover. He got the Perfectionist Trait, and the Curator aspiration. I will update this info to the cast of characters, along with his other outfits, in a couple of days.

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