Boy Oh Boys! (Season 1)

Chapter 9-3

"I cannot believe Christmas vacation has already arrived," said Max as he served an extra large stack of flapjacks. He was wearing a Santa Claus hat and a large grin.

"I know! I can't wait to go home!" exclaimed Apollo. "Mom said we got new neighbors- and they have a daughter!"

"I don't know why you're so excited," Demeter shook his head. "She's obviously going to like me. I have our Christmas date all planned out! A walk through the snow, hot chocolate, and I thought of the perfect Christmas present!"

"You're giving her me?" laughed Apollo. "Everyone knows I'm the best present a girl could ask for!"

"Sooo, what are your holiday plans, Charlie?" asked Rib, who had just poured a pile of cereal onto the flapjacks Max had given him.

"My best friend, Posey, is coming to pick me up today!" she answered brightly as Rib pulled a plastic zombie-Santa from the box of Scary O's.

"POSEY?!?!" the twins were instantly alert.

"Is she as cute as you?" demanded Demeter.

"And is she a cheerleader too?" Apollo drooled.

"It will be nice to meet one of your friends," said Max kindly.

"You got that right!" Apollo nodded fervently.

"What are you doing for Christmas, Max?" wondered Charlie. "You're not going all the way home, are you?"

"No," Max shook his head. "I am going with Rib to visit his family."

"Yep! It's going to be awesome! I wish you were all coming! Maybe we can set something up during Spring Break!" Rib beamed.

"You mean visit the famous haunted house of Rib?" Demeter stuck out his tongue.

"It's not that bad," Rib frowned. "Mom won't let me decorate it the way I want."

"I wonder why," laughed Charlie, just imagining what an entire house Rib lived in would look like.

~~~

Charlie was more than ready to begin her vacation when the knock on the door arrived.

"POSEY!" Charlie dashed for the door, but was disappointed to see it was only Seneca.

"Mail call," he said importantly.

"Thanks," said Charlie, accepting the post before closing the door.

"Who was that?" Rib poked his head out of his room curiously.

"POSEY???" the twins rushed into the room, yelling more excitedly than Charlie had.

"It was just the mail," she told them. "Looks like some Christmas cards and gifts," she added, passing around the packages and envelopes. "Apollo... Demeter... Apollo... Demeter... Wow, you guys got a ton!"

"Well, there are a lot of girls in the world," grinned Apollo as he accepted yet another kiss-sealed envelope.

"Here's one for Maxsim Levokov..." Charlie went on. "And this one's addressed to Pace Nevea..." she sat Pace's gift on the table. "Hm, but Who is Ripley I. Bates?" Charlie curiously read the address on a small package.

"That's mine!" Rib pounced forward and grabbed the parcel from her hands.

"Your name is Ripley I. Bates?" Charlie gasped at him. "I thought it was Rib."

"Sure, just check out my initials," Rib clucked his tongue as he ripped open the package.

"R.I.B.," Charlie threw her head back in realization as Rib squealed in excitement.

"SWEET! MY grandma sent me a Spooky Sounds CD!" he waved the disc joyously. "This will be the perfect music to drift off to sleep to!"

"Oh, great," Demeter cried.

"At least we won't have to listen to it until after the holidays!" said Apollo.

"Poor Max," thought Charlie as there was another knock on the door.

"POSEY?!" she screamed again.