1.10 Dinner Part 4

Joan sticks the last of her potatoes in her mouth before leaving her cutlery crossed on her plate.

Dinner was nice. Everybody is sitting with their dates with the oldest being the closest to Mother and Father. That means that Leo and I are on the other side of the table with Alex and Martin.

Joan looks at A Class Adonis boy. Martin Lucas, Alexis’ boyfriend for the last five months, manifested earlier in the week and joined the local Junior Heroes Union.

From what Leo told her, Martin was, is, a shy nerdy boy who enjoys pop music.

And not he is a flying brick with the brick part being A Class and the flying part B Class.

Joan averts her eyes as she feels herself looking Martin’s muscular body over.

Leo is my boyfriend. I should checking him out not Martin, the boyfriend of my sister. But a Bellator just can’t stand up to Adonis in the beauty department.

“So how are you finding school?” asks Alex from across the table, “Martin says you’re doing fine, but I want to hear it from you.”

“I’m fine at school,” Joan reassures her sister, “I do well in class and I get on well with people. I hang out with Leo and his friends so I’m not lonely either.”

“I’m just annoyed that I couldn’t be there for your first week,” says Alex with a sigh, “And I got a lot to do since as team leader now. Man, I miss Jimmy and Harry.”

Joan is silent. She learnt earlier this week that Jimmy and Harry were Rush and Sulphur respectively, the two local teenage heroes who died against Armageddon. Rush was the old team leader of the Grand Rapids Junior Heroes Union and now Iris has taken over.

“Maybe if it gets too much, you could ask Gears for help?” suggests Joan.

“Why would he help?” scoffs Martin as Joan does her best to not look at Leo.

Perhaps because Leo is a selfless, heroic and noble person who like to help others you dumb a-hole?

“Because on one of the few times I spoke with Guardian, she mentioned that Gears is interested in building good relationships with the local authorities,” replies Joan as Abby’s duplicates begin to tidy away the dishes as only Irwin and his Aphrodite and A class girlfriend Jennifer Harrison, a nationally famous parahuman actress, are still eating.

She didn’t get her powers on day one, but she did get them in early January. At least Jennifer is a nice person who just likes to have fun in a good way. She seems to just want to make others happy. And I don’t know if that is a side effect of her powers.

“Maybe,” mutters Alex.

She doesn’t sound too convinced, but Alex sounds like she is at least considering the idea.

Mother clears her throat loudly and Joan, along with everybody else at the table, looks towards her.

“I have something to inform all of you about, Fowler family member primarily,” says Mother loudly before lowering her voice to normal tones, “Due to the large number of parahumans in our family, Marcus and I have received an offer to have a reality TV show about us produced.”

As the rest of her sibling bombard their parents with questions, Joan slumps back into her seat as she considers the implications of the announcement.

I don’t want people to watch my life on television. I only just got it back for myself. And if I hang out with Leo, it would blow his secret identity. No way he could hide the fact he is Gears and still hang out with me if that many people are watching. We need as few people watching us as we can get.

Joan looks up as Leo places his hand on hers.

“Don’t worry,” says Leo to her quietly, “It’s optional to partake in it. You don’t have to have someone following you around. You could have so you only get recorded by a camera that if following the others around.”

“That would work,” replies Joan equally quiet, “I’m fine with only my interactions with other members of my family being recorded.”

I’ll tell Mum and the others

Okay, but don’t mention the stuff about Leo and him being Gears Abby.

Joan, I’m a genius, not an idiot.

I know. I just wanted to makes sure.

I know dear, I can see into your head after all.

You don’t do that all the time do you?

Of course I don’t. I wouldn’t be respecting your privacy if I did. But I would like to know about Jaylyn later. It would best if you told me rather having to go through your memories.

If Leo is okay with it, I will.

Now I’m really interested in finding out about this Jaylyn of yours.

Umm, it’s sort of awkward to explain her to other people.

Leo’s secret girlfriend?

What! No! He would never ever do that and you know it!

I was just messing with you sis.

Humph.

Ice cream is here along with sticky toffee pudding.

I love having ice cream. And I haven’t had sticky toffee pudding in at least two years.

Do you love ice cream more than Leo?

Knock it off Abby.

Relax Joan, messing with other like this is what sisters do to each other.

I don’t like this part of having sister.

Don’t worry about it. We only do it over minor things like with using our powers to mess with you.

I suppose.

Eat up your desserts sis.