Chapter 6: Table Talk

A few days after...

Mrs. Summers were able to find and enroll Jared into a suitable school "Nordam Academy" which is just 15 mins away from the Summers residence, which Jared insists to be enrolled to after he heard about their school programs. According to the principal, the school year starts next month, Jared is excited to get into school not only is he dying to get out, the school is one of the accredited schools by the "Project Altus" the national athletic development program that nurtures young talents and later recruit the prospects to the national team.

The Summers had a fun weekend, they went out and gone to so many places, the Museum of natural history in Sagicae, the Art Gallery in Caliente and went to the movie theater on 5th avenue. Jared had a great time and this is the first time that he enjoyed his life with a company of his family, just living the moment and having fun.

Sunday came and they had a barbecue at the backyard and perfectly end the weekend, Mom got a crazy idea to camp out at their backyard and spend the night, which Dad is reluctant at first but decided to went with it, as Jared wanted to experience it with his family, the last time he went for a camping is when he is fleeing from gunmen on the jungles of Colombia on his paste life, when he was hired to take down a Colombian dictator. Camping out with family reminds him that he's past that life, and he's thankful.

Wednesday came...

Jared is in the couch watching a basketball game, Mom is cooking in the kitchen while Dad is on the phone speaking to Commisioner Isaacs. The doorbell rang. DING DONG!!

"I got it!" Jared shouted and opened the door.

As he opened the door, he saw two kids standing in front, a boy and a girl, Jared noticed that the kids are about the same age as him.

The kids were mesmerized by Jared as soon as he opened the door, His bright white silver hair that can caught anyone's attention, his exotic blue dreamy eyes, that can make girls swoon, the dark natural shade around his eyes gives off a mysterious feel but not dark enough to make him look unhealthy, his small soft rosy lips, his cute perfect pointed nose that compliments well with the rest of his facial features, His dark clothes that made his complexion and his face stood out, skin that is light enough that makes him elegant but not so much that makes him looks sick. To the kids' eyes, Jared looked Elf like, born of nobility. The two kids stood in awe.

"Hello there ... can I help you?" Jared asked the kids.

Jared find the two kids adorable, The boy is as the same size as Jared, he's a handsome and healthy looking kid, with an attractive looking golden eyes, black hair and sharp facial features. The girl beside him, is a beautiful and gentle looking one, with a golden egyptian eyes that hints of a playful yet strong character, her eyes has a gentle and warm gaze, her cute nose and lips that goes well with her face and a long beautiful black hair that was braided in an elven like fashion.

"H-Hi! my mom said hi to our neighbours" said the boy in a friendly tone.

"Ohh, you guys must be the new neighbours!! my name is Jared! nice to meet you!" Jared said in an enthusiastic way as he held out his hand to shook and greet them.

"My name is Ethan, Nice to meet you too! this is my little sister Katie... come on Katie remember what Mom taught you? Ethan warmly greets Jared as he encourages his shy sister.

"Sorry she's a little bit shy, she just turned 3" Ethan added.

"I see it's okay, nice to meet you Katie!" Jared greeted Katie and smiles. Katie then smiled back and shook his hand. Katie let out a soft "Nice to meet you too"

"Please come in!" Jared invited the two as he ushers them inside.

"Woahh ... you guys got a big house!" Ethan said in awe as they looked around.

"Nahh not that much" Jared said, trying to be humble.

Dad walked in on the living room.

"Ohhh what do we have here? ..." Dad said in a warm and friendly manner, as Dad walked in, the siblings realized how Jared and his Dad look similar, as if they're seeing a younger copy and an older version at the same time.

"Oh Dad! this is Ethan and Katie ... our new neighbors they're the Wolfes that mom is talking about" Jared introduced the two to Dad, Dad then leans down and shook their hands to greet them.

"Guys this is my Dad" Jared continued.

"Hello, nice to meet you sir!" both greeted Dad.

"Oh please, just call me Arthur or Art, pleased to meet you two as well" Dad smiled.

Doorbell rang again.. DING DONG!!

Dad opened the door and he saw a couple standing.

The Woman immediately asked Dad as she looked around, "Hi we're from the house across from here, we just moved in today. ... and we're wondering if you happen t.." before the woman can finish, Katie shouted "Mom!!" with excitement. Katie's Mom felt relieved as she saw her kids.

"Oh you guys must be the Wolfes! ... please please come in! come in!" Dad greeted the couple in a warmly matter then opened the Door wide to welcome the guests. The couple then went Inside.

"By the way my name is Arthur you may call me Art and this is my son Jared, we are the Summers, my lovely wife is in the kitchen, I believe you already met her from last time" Dad introduced himself and Jared in a warm and welcoming manner.

"You don't happen to be the Arthur Summers are you? I mean THE Dr. Arthur Summers? Head of Athletic Development Program?" Mr. Wolfe asked with a gentle french accent.

"Uhm yes, why? Dad confused.

"Oh my God! Huge fan of your work Dr. Summers, your paper on Mind and Body Calibration for Athletic Excellence fuels my study" Mr. Wolfe geeking out.

"Ohh thank you and please just call me Art, I only use the title when im at work" Dad replied and smiled.

"By the way, my name is Zach, as you already know we are the Wolfes, from across, I'm Zach this is my beautiful wife Marina, I can see already met my kids, this is my eldest, my son Ethan and my youngest, my daughter Katie" Zach introduced the family, paid each other respects and shook each other's hands.

"Honey!! food is ready!!" Mom shouted from the kitchen.

"Great timing! now that you guys are here, let's go to the kitchen and let's have lunch!" Dad said.

"Oh um, we don't want to bother you" Marina said in a polite manner.

"Oh no, It's okay we actually prepared the food for you guys! Please indulge us, it's good to meet new faces around these parts" Dad Insists and invited them to the kitchen. "Let's get something to eat ... let's go kids" Dad said.

In the kitchen ...

"Hi how are you?!" Mom greeted the couple, the couple then introduced their kids, they introduced each and everyone has been acquainted.

"Jared sweetie can you help them with the plates? ... careful ok" Mom asked Jared. Marina immediately got up and helped Jared "It's okay honey i got this" Marina said to Jared as she gives him a warm motherly smile.

Marina is a charming Woman, she looks a lot like her daughter, the lovely eyes and the beautiful smile.

Zach carried Katie and guided her to sit on the chair properly, he also helped Ethan on the process.

As Mom is finishing up her cooking, Dad helped with the utensils and brought a Merlot (red wine) for the adults and a glass pitcher of juice and water for the kids and poured everyone beverages. Mom served a bowl of tomato-basil penne pasta, a bowl of classic feta salad, a basket of garlic bread and to each plate, Mom served a freshly cooked garlic buttered Lamb chops.

The smell and platings of the food enticed all those who saw Mom's food, just the mere smell made everyone in the room salivate.

They All sat down and say grace and then they dig in. The kids can't even speak as they're busy chowing down their delicious food.

"Ughhh ... this is so good" Marina said as she's enjoying the food.

"Right?" Zach said as he agreed to his wife.

"That's the master of the kitchen for ya!" Dad commented, feeling proud of her wife.

"You know ... I've tried to cook lamb chops like this before but i can't seem to find the right taste" Marina commented.

"Yeah it was so bad we ate macaroni for one week haha!!" Zach jokingly said.

"Ughhh I hate you, you know!!" Marina replied as she punches her husband, feeling embarassed. The Summers couple just laughed.

"But you guys should try her desserts, especially the cheese cake" Zach remarked to regain her wife's honor, "The kids loved it" he added.

"Oh really?! if that's case Marina I hope you can teach me sometime on making desserts?" Mom asked Marina.

"Only if you could teach me how to cook Haha" Marina replied with excitement,

"That won't be a problem Haha" Mom replied as Marina and Mom went for a high five. across the table.

"I love mommas cheesecakes!" Katie yelled in a cute way. Mom and Marina giggled as they saw how cute Katie is. "Thank you baby" Marina said to Katie.

"So where are the Wolfes from originally?" Dad asked the couple.

"Oh my family from both sides is originally from Quebec, Then my parents migrated here, I was born and raised in the East Coast in Eubegona but my wife is from Olyvo, after we got married we lived in Madera (area known for poor living conditions) for a few years."

"We both came from a working class family and we struggled at that time as I'm still finishing up my Doctor's License whereas my wife is keeping us afloat at that time, she supported me ever since, But then after I graduated, things started to get better, then we received these two angels (points at Ethan and Katie) and here we are" Zach explained.

Dad nodded in respect, after knowing the couple's background.

"How about you guys?" Zach asked Dad

"Oh my mother's side is from St. Petersburg (Russia) my Dad is actually British, he migrated to Russia then they both got married there. I was still a kid when we migrated here in La Consolacion, it's a city north of here, we don't have that much at the time, but my parents are able to raise me with good education, after I graduated I worked as a Head coach for G-League Ignite in the US while taking my doctorate, my wife and I met each other in NSU, since I was doing a research at that time and she was invited as a speaker on a forum, she's already a psychologist back then, She was so gorgeous! I approached her, then one thing led to another and here we are, I met her family and i was so nervous when I met them, coz I didn't know her family is one of the Greek natives here in the country, so they go way back haha" Dad explained.

"Oh I can see why your wife is so beautiful! you know what they say about the Greeks, the blood of the Gods run through every Greeks' vein" Marina said as she adore Mom's beauty. As Marina say those last words, Mom gazed at Jared and smiled, Jared is busy eating his food.

"Well Greeks are superstitious honey" Zach said to his wife.

"Yeah but those superstitions inspires the greatest art masterpieces today" Marina replied.

"You like art Marina?" Mom asked.

"Oh yeah! she's actually an Art curator, she have a gallery in Caliente right now" Zach answered it for Marina.

"The Okiwe Dambrouskas Explosion of colors and sounds" Marina said and continued ".. my current project" she added.

"Really?! we saw it last weekend! it was amazing, Jared enjoyed it too!!" Dad said with excitement.

"Oh really!!? Look what we have here! we have an Art Curator, we have a Doctor, a Sports Scientist and a Psychologist with beautiful kids! haha from dreamers to living the dream!.." Mom said with great enthusiasm

"From nothing to something.." Marina added with confidence.

"I like that ... Cheers!" Dad raised his glass the rest followed. CLINK!!

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Meanwhile in the Kids' corner as their parents talk.

Ethan asked Jared "Hey do you play basketball?"

Jared replied "Not that much, I mean I just learned how to play last week, I'm still learning"

"Hmm ... are you good?" Ethan asked.

"I think so? ... I beat my Dad on my first game so.." Jared replied

"Pft! dude that doesn't count! that's your Dad lol haha ... who knows he might be taking it easy on you" Ethan replied in a playful town.

"Well even if that's the case, it's still a good experience, I mean he coached a team before so it's not like I'm playing against any other normal Dad ... no offense" Jared replied.

"Fair enough ... let's have a game instead, you and me, let's have a 1-on-1, there's only one way to know if you're good or not, what do you say??" Ethan asked Jared.

Katie butts in "Nooo!!!... why is it that you always talk about basketball whenever you meet someone new, you're weird!!" Katie asked his brother.

"No I'm not ... I just asked them for a game on special occasions!" Ethan said to his sister

"Whatever ET!" Katie replied.

"ET?" Jared asked.

"That's her nickname for me, if you're lucky you might get one as well haha" Ethan said

"Just don't listen to her, atleast I'm not dancing in front of a mirror for a nursery rhyme!! ..." Ethan laughed as he turn to her sister.

"Loved to dance Katie?" Jared asked Katie in a friendly tone?

"Yeahp she does ... she's the weird one" Ethan teases his sister again.

"No im not!" Katie replied with an angry face.

"Well I think it's cool, I would love to see it sometime if that's okay?" Jared trying to be a big brother, knowing that she's now embarassed.

"Really?!" Katie replied to Jared, blushing "Okay i guess" Katie added

"Just finish your food, big boys are talking here" Ethan said to Katie.

"Bite me!" Katie said while making face to Ethan and sticking her tongue out.

"Anyway... So what do you say? are you down for a game?" Ethan brought back the topic.

"Yeah sure, I'd love to practice with someone my own size, you know, test my skills" Jared said.

"Cool! let's do it later, we have hoop back at our place we can play there" Ethan offered.

"Let's just play here, we got an Iris" Jared counter offered.

"Oh wow! that's cool ...can't wait " Ethan said with excitement.

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Back in Parents' corner....

"By the way, Eubegona and Olyvo is so far away from each other, how'd you guys meet? Mom asked the couple.

"We met at the White Lake ... there's a party year end party there, we're both college.." before she continue, Zach Interrupted.

"Well she actually approached me first and started to hit on me..." Zach jokingly said.

Marina's reactions are cute, she did a drop jaw shock reaction "No i did not!! ... no one would hit on your ugly ass" Marina replied while laughing, feeling embarassed. The Summers couple kept laughing.

"Since you mentioned my study earlier, what did you study at that time?" Dad asked Zach.

"Oh I Initially took Nursing but switched to Sports Medicine as I found a higher calling on that field, Currently Im working as a Sports Doctor in St. Andrews Hospital for Medical Science downtown, mainly I handle physical rehabilitations for athletes and physical therapy as well" Zach explained.

"Oh look hon, he's in the same field as you! Maybe you can help each other!" Mom suggested.

"Right! actually right now I'm working with the National, to elevate the quality of our development program and we're gonna need therapists and surgeons regarding the matter, If it's okay with you Doctor I hope we can meet sometime at the office or downtown to discuss this further?" Dad suggested.

"Of course, it would be my pleasure! having to work with the brightest minds on our field is truly amazing" Zach remarked.

"Ohh haha, you're spoiling me Zach, I can't take that compliment on my own, I'm actually just the Initial author of that paper, my beautiful and brilliant wife here is the co author, ... the "Mind" aspect of that research is the brain child of my wife" Dad commented.

"Really I didn't know that!" Zach replied.

"She can also do ballet and it's amazing" Dad said.

"Wooww Elena what is it that you can't do?" Marina said to Mom as she was impressed.

"Oh don't believe him you guys, he's just saying that so that I'd do the dishes later on haha" Mom jokingly said.

"She is! She really is!" Dad insists.

"Well I didn't actually co authored the paper, I merely shared insights and Ideas, It's more like an interview and my husband did the rest" Mom said.

"So the psychological aspect and the philosophical discussion on that paper came from you Mrs. Summers?" Zach asked.

"Yes, the inclusion of the meditation in the proposed program on the paper, that came from me as well, but that's just it, that's the only thing I did ... and please just call me Elena, Mrs. Summers is my mother" Mom replied with a smile.

The two families stayed there for a while to chat after they finished the food.

Before the Wolfes get home....

"Mom? can Ethan and Katie stay here for a while to play?" Jared asked his Mom.

"Sure sweetie ... that is if it's okay with you guys Marina and Zach? Mom asked the parents.

"Please?!" Ethan and Katie said in unison

"Okay, I'll fetch you two later okay?" Zach said.

"Don't worry they're good We'll take care of them" Mom assured the couple.

"Thanks Elena and again thank you so much for the food, pleasure meeting you!" Marina said to Mom and Dad.

"Art it's really a pleasure meeting you guys, thanks for your hospitality, I'll come back later for the kids" Zach added.

"No problem, you guys can drop by anytime!" Dad said.

The couple went home and the kids stayed to play with Jared.

"Dad can we use the Iris? we wanna play a game" Jared asked his Dad.

"Sure ... but you wait for atleast two hours, coz we just ate our lunch, you can stay in your room in the meantime" Dad said.

"Okay ... come on guys let's go to my room!" Jared said to the siblings. As the three went upstairs.

"Honey I'll just go to the groceries to buy some things, I'll be back in a sec" Mom said to Dad.

"Is it gonna be a lot? I'll drive for you" Dad proposed.

"No it's okay, just watch the kids" Mom replied.

"Alright, you can use the Cayenne" Dad said as he handed the car keys to Mom, then she went to out.

Dad stayed at the living room and watch TV.

After two hours....

The two went out to the backyard, Iris has already been set, the court lines, the hoop, everything is ready. Dad sat at the chair beside the backyard where he can see the two playing, Katie is right beside him and they're both eating popcorn.

"Let's just have 3 games, each game is raise to 9, first to 9 wins, scoring is only 1s and 2s (long range) clear?" Ethan said.

"Clear ... Lesgow!" Jared replied.

"Dad do you have a coin?" Jared shouted as he asked Dad.

"Yeah! for the ball posession?" Dad asked, as both noded in reply. "Alright call it in the air!!" Dad said to the two.

"Heads!" Jared said.

"Tails" Ethan said as they call it at the same time.

Dad caught the coin and peeked, "Tails" Dad said.

"Looks like I'll go first" Ethan said in a lively tone. Jared passed him the ball.

"Let's see what you got" Jared replied in a playful tone as he takes his position to defend.

As Ethan received the ball, without any wasted movements he went to a triple threat stance, As Jared saw this, he was caught off guard. "What is this?" he asked himself. As he saw Ethan looking at him in the eye in an Intense terrifying manner, like a predator locking its eyes on a prey. Ethan's friendly and playful demeanor disappeared without a trace.

Dad saw this, He felt Ethan's intensity "woah what do we have here?" Dad thought to himself he was in shock.

"Not again" Katie said as they watch the two

As Dad heard Katie's comment, he realized what she meant, Jared's in trouble.

In one quick succession after Ethan set a triple threat stance, he took one explosive step to the right, unprepared Jared tried to cut him off but Ethan disappeared, "A step back? ...no, a hesi" then Ethan drived to the left with demonic speed, Jared saw nothing but Ethan's shadow leaving Jared in the dust, next thing he knew Ethan scored a point. No idea what happened.

1-0 Ethan leads.

Jared in his mind "His change of pace is insane which caught me off guard but, what the fuck is with that speed? ... I need to react faster.

"Come on dude, that's not the reason why I wanted to play with you, come on show me that monster" Ethan said to Jared.

"HAHA Alright, if you wanna have a good game, I'll give you a good game" Jared replied to Ethan, his eyes fixed to him with cold calculating stare.

God's Eye activated.