Chapter 20: Jack's Memorable Weekend

Two weeks later at Jack’s house Saturday morning, Jack pages Sue on her Blackberry; he is wearing a white v-neck tee shirt and taupe khakis. Sue is wearing blue jeans and a white top.

Jack: Do you want to come over to hang out with me at my place?

Sue: I would like that but I promise to spend the day with Amanda and Lucy is visiting her grandmother.

Jack: Amanda can come over to my house too, and we can do something together.

Sue: You want to hang out with Amanda and Togo?

Jack: Well, sure. If that’s the only way I’m going to see you this weekend.

Sue: Okay. I’m picking up Amanda in 15 minutes. I’ll ask her if she wants to come to your house.

Jack: Alright. I’ll give you directions to my place. See you soon.

Sue: Okay. See you soon.

Jack is busy washing his car so he doesn’t notice Sue, Amanda, Levi, and Togo pulling to a stop at his house. They get out and Sue tells Levi to go get Jack. Levi walks over to Jack; touches Jack’s leg, Jack looks up at them and smiles.

Jack: You made it. When did you get here?

Sue: Just now. You were busy washing your car so you didn’t notice me.

Jack: I noticed. I was waiting for you. By the way, I have Krispy Kreme jelly donuts, bagels, Danish, chocolate chip cookies, black coffee in the house if you want breakfast.

Sue: Thanks. So you invited me over here to help you wash your car? Is that all?

Jack: No, I didn’t invite you here to help wash my car. But if you insist I wouldn’t mind.

Sue: Bribing Levi with jelly donuts and some of his other favorite snacks. Shame on you, Hudson! (laughing)  If you throw in dinner and movie later tonight I will help.

Jack: It’s a deal. Signing-Hi Amanda; it’s good to see you again. How’s school going?

Amanda: Signing- School is fine. Good to see you too. Togo, Levi, and I love jelly donuts. Yummy! Can I see your house?

Jack: Sure. I’ll give you a tour of my place after we finish washing my car. Do you want to help me?

Amanda: Signing-Okay. Come here, Togo.

Jack: Alright. I’ve finished putting soap on my car. Now I need to rinse and wash it all off.

Sue: What’s the plan?

While Jack and Sue are talking, they don’t see Amanda holding the garden hose in her hands. Just then Amanda pushed the button and water came splashing out. It landed on Jack and Sue and they both get all wet. Amanda is laughing; Togo wants to play with the water. Amanda turns the hose on him and Levi. Now the two dogs are wet also.  Jack runs after Amanda trying to get the hose away from her. But the water keeps squirting out and hitting him in the face. Sue comes over to help Jack retrieve the hose from Amanda but she gets wetter by the minute.  

Jack and Sue decide to give up and he tells Amanda instead of aiming the hose at us, you might want to wash my car for me. Sue translates for Amanda and with hose in hand, she starts spraying his car. Jack and Sue are sitting on the lawn far enough away from Amanda and the water hose so they don’t get wet again. Levi and Togo are rolling around on the lawn and having a good time. Amanda is finished rinsing the car and she turns back to look at them. Amanda comes over to Jack and Sue and sprays them with water once more just for fun.

Amanda signs to Sue: Can we give Togo and Levi a bath?

Sue: Signing- Sure. I think Levi and Togo would like that. Let me ask Jack if it’s okay.

Jack: You want to give Togo and Levi a bath?

Sue: Yeah. I told her we would if it’s alright with you.

Jack: No problem. This is going to be fun.

Amanda: Signing-Champ! Come here Togo, Come here Levi.

Sue and Amanda have just put soap on Levi and Togo but the two dogs are making a fuss. They don’t like soap so they try to get away from Amanda and Sue. By this time, Sue and Amanda’s hands are soapy and slippery. It is hard to hold onto Levi and Togo. Jack comes over to help but ends up getting soap on his face and all over him. Levi looks up at Jack, with a puppy dog face that says he is sorry. He just wants to get away from Sue and Amanda. Levi and Togo continue to thrash around, soap flying everywhere. Later on, Sue and Amanda finally manage to bathe Levi and Togo, but not before they get drench once again. Everyone is wet, Jack is the wettest of all of them, and his lawn is a total mess.

Sue: Signing- I’m sorry about your lawn. Amanda and I will clean up the mess we made.

Jack: You better, when I invited you over here, this wasn’t what I had in mind.

Sue: Signing-What did you have in mind? (smiles at Jack)

Jack: Signing- I’ll tell you later. Speaking-Right now I better clean up my soggy lawn before the Home Association police make a huge fuss about the mess. (laughs)

Sue: Good idea. You know, you are a really good sport about all this. (smiles at Jack)

Amanda: Signing-I’m sorry, Jack. I hope you are not mad at me.

Jack: No, I’m not mad. Don’t worry about it. I’ll laugh about this later.

They get to work and clean up the lawn as best as they can under the circumstances in 45 minutes. Jack is wearing a black tee shirt and black khakis. Then he brings towels out for him, Sue, Amanda, and the dogs. Afterward when all of them are finally dry; Jack lets Sue and Amanda into his house; Togo and Levi go straight to the kitchen probably looking for something to eat. Jack gives Sue and Amanda the grand tour.

Sue: Nice place. And it’s neat too. Hmmm…I thought you would be into leather. Who did the décor?

Jack: My sister, Meg. She is an interior designer and my place was her first project. When I moved here to D.C., started working at the bureau and I bought the place one year later. She came here to decorate it for me. She has good taste so I let her have free rein. It turned really well. And yes, I am a neat person. I don’t leave clothes lying around on the floor if that’s what you mean. You seem surprised?

Sue: Yeah. That is exactly what I mean. I like your house. It fits you nicely. And I am surprised. So now what do you want to do?

Jack: I don’t know. I had too much adventure just washing my car today. (Laughs)

Amanda: Signing-This is a beautiful home. I like it a lot.

Jack: Signing-Thanks, Amanda. My sister decorated it for me.

Amanda: Signing- She’s good. I’m going to play with Togo and Levi.

Sue: Signing-Okay. Don’t let Levi and Togo get into more trouble. Well it’s almost lunchtime, how about we go eat?

Jack: Sounds good. Afterwards we can decide what to do in the afternoon.

They go to Slappy Joe’s for lunch. When they come back, Amanda wants to make chocolate brownies for her class. Jack said that is a great idea, he loves brownies. In the kitchen Sue and Amanda are making three batches of brownies. Sue pours the ingredients in the bowl and Amanda stirs it. After two of the brownies pans are in the oven, and while working on the third batch; Amanda starts a brownie fight. She got Sue good in the face with the batter. Sue gets Amanda back with some more batter.  Jack went to his office to check his email and when he comes back into his kitchen, he is shocked. The brownie fight is ongoing; Amanda gets Sue in the face again. Sue is trying to get Amanda back, but instead bumps into Jack and accidentally pours the third batter all over him.

 

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