Chapter 8
After three hours, Yatzil and Khonshu had finally managed to get Marc, Steven, and Jake to go to bed. It involved a great deal of pleading, three stories, cuddles, and a glass of warm milk. Yatzil tucked them in, and kissed them good night. The boys, exhausted from their long day and crashing from their sugar high, were already drifting off to sleep. By the time Khonshu and Yatzil shut the lights off and quietly closed the door, the boys were snoring away.
“He’s finally asleep.” Yatzil told the crowd in her living room. Anubis looked up from the book he was reading.
“I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep and allow them to get into the cakes. But honestly, I think we can all agree that the blame is really with Mut. After all, it’s her fault that the boys got lost in the Duat. If they didn’t get lost, I never would have had to watch them and they would never have gotten into the cake.” Anubis was still so exhausted, he could barely see straight. That small nap had honestly made his exhaustion worse.
Mut huffed at the jackal god. How dare he think he knew more about children than she did? He only had one child, and his daughter was an absolute delight as a child. She had to deal with Khonshu, Bes, and Sekhmet. It was amazing no one died with those three in her house.
“I’ll have you know-“ Mut started to defend herself against Anubis, but a glare from that avatar of Hathor’s had her rethinking her words. She chose to be quiet instead, after all if you don’t have anything nice to say then you shouldn’t say anything at all. Her mother had taught her that. She tried teaching her own children the same, but they didn’t pick it up as readily. Especially Khonshu.
Selim brought a pile of papers over to Yatzil. “I have the papers filled out, all that you have to do is sign them. Once you sign them, I will discreetly file them with the local authorities. I have a few friends here who owe me a few favors, they will take care of wrapping up the legal bits that I can’t. We agreed on the name Marc Khons Vasco, right?”
Yatzil nodded and picked up a pen. She signed the papers, Selim pointing to the places that her signature was needed. She made quick work of the forms, signing and initialing the papers. Once she was done, Selim took the papers, carefully lined them up, and placed them into a folder.
“I have started on the paperwork for Jake and Steven. I will have it ready for you by the end of the week. With all of the chaos, we didn't get a chance to ask if either of them wanted a middle name. Marc was so excited to get one, I thought that perhaps they would like one as well.”
That made sense. Allowing Jake and Steven to pick out their own middle names would also help solidify the fact that they were just as much a part of the family and that they mattered just as much as Marc. Yatzil was going to treat the boys equally in every way.
Yatzil did also have a few other thoughts that she wished to address. She didn’t have any family, and she wanted to ensure that the boys would always have someone there for them. They would always have the gods, of course, but she wanted insurance that they would always have a mortal on their side.
“I was thinking about godparents. I know that Khonshu named Anubis and Anput godparents, but I also want them to have mortal godparents. I want it laid out legally, just in case anything ever happens.”
Hathor smiled at her avatar. “You don’t have to worry about that, we would never let anything happen to you or the boys.”
“I know, but I want it for my peace of mind. I was hoping that Selim and Declan would agree to be the boys godparents.” Declan walked over to his friend and gave her a massive hug.
“Even though your son bit my hand so hard he ripped it open to the bone, I would be honored to be godfather. Someone has to make sure that they eat all their vegetables and fruits.”
Selim rolled his eyes at his friend. “You practically brought an entire bakery with you today. You really want to talk about eating healthy?” Declan stuck his tongue out at Selim. “Real mature, Doctor. I would also be honored. I have a feeling that your boys, Jake especially, will be needing a good lawyer in their life. Just, please do me a favor and don’t die. At least not until they are eighteen. You signed the papers, they are yours, no returns.”
Hana chuckled from where she was watching the others. “Thank you for not naming me godmother! I can not afford to raise a child on a Chemical Research Technician’s salary, not in Brooklyn. I make good money but not that good. And I would rather be their fun aunt who lets them do things that you say no to. Like dying their hair crazy colors.”
“Please no hair dye until they are at least ten. And I am well aware of your opinion on having children, you always say that you would rather be able to return them at the end of the day. I do sometimes wonder why Isis chose you.” It was rather odd, Hana, at first glance, had very little in common with her goddess.
“She thinks chemistry is magic.” Hana explained. “I’ve tried explaining it to her, but she still insists that it is magic.” Hana shrugged. Honestly, she enjoyed serving Isis, even if their similarities were a little off. And she found it funny how the goddess was convinced that she was a brilliant magician. She just knew how chemicals reacted.
“But Hana my dear, you are magic! The potions that you make,”
“Chemical solutions.” Hana interjects.
“Potions, they are so miraculous! Especially the one that expands up and out of the tube!”
“Elephant’s toothpaste. A basic chemistry experiment.” Hana explained. Osiris was laughing at his wife’s insistence that her avatar was magic. He had also tried to explain, as had their son Horus, but she was very persistent with her belief. Everyone decided that it was just best to let her believe what she wanted to. Chemistry was sort of magic, right? And Isis considered Hana’s work in chemistry as a big part of her avatar duties, since it was ‘magic’. So it really was a win win for both of them. Isis was entertained and Hana got to do a job she loved. “I’ll have to show the boys some chemistry experiments some day.”
Yatzil smiled at her friends. She was so lucky to have them.“You guys are all so great. I know that you all will be amazing for Marc, Steven, and Jake. I mean, you helped me so much today alone! Except you Mut. This was all your fault. Your Grandmother privileges are limited for the foreseeable future.” Yattil was still not happy with the goddess and her role in today’s events. She would be holding this over her for a while. Mut wisely chose to remain silent, even though she wanted to object to the events being her fault. She was just trying to be a good grandmother.
“Thank you Taweret, Sekhmet, and Anubis for taking good care of them in the Duat. I was so worried for them, I still can’t believe that they ended up in the Duat and that their response was to build a sandcastle.”
Taweret ran over to Yatzil and scooped her up. She squeezed her tightly. “OH, it was my PLEASURE! They were such delightful boys! Even Jake, he was so FIERCE! LIKE A HIPPO!” Taweret normally talked loudly, but she kept squealing in delight. She continued to hug Yatzil, who was finding it hard to breathe.
Hathor tapped Taweret on the shoulder. “Perhaps you could put my avatar down? She does need to breathe.” Taweret released Yatzil, causing her to flop onto the floor. She coughed as she caught her breath, throat a little sore from the overenthusiastic hug. Declan handed her a bottle of water, and she took a couple of small sips.
“Thank you Taweret. Perhaps you could try to keep it down, the boys are trying to sleep.”
Anubis stepped up, and glared at the hippo. “Actually, perhaps you could return to the barque? It shouldn’t be left alone for too long. And I did task you with watching it for me today.”
“Oh my, yes of course. I will head right on back. It’s just been so delightful to see the boys again, and under better circumstances than the last time. I’ll call you if I need you!” Taweret waved goodbye, and vanished.
“I shall also take my leave now. This has been a stressful day, which is not good for my temper. I need to go do some yoga, or something. Khonshu, congrats on the sons. Please try and control them.” Sekhmet left, hoping that she could salvage at least some of her day. Mut and Amun followed after her, Mut mumbling that they should go and return Amun’s Userhetamon home.
Once they had returned home, only the avatars, their gods, and Anubis remained. Selim, Declan, and Hana had decided to stay the night. They were tired, and all of them lived in different time zones. They decided that it would be best to stay the night rather than return home and further disrupt their day. They also wanted to get a chance to spend some time with the boys proper, when they woke up in the morning. They hadn’t exactly gotten a good chance to get to know them, what with chasing them around London and the Duat all day.
The three friends busied themselves setting up the living room for an impromptu avatar sleepover. The gods had all wandered into Yatzil’s music room, having decided that they would spend the night there.
It was two thirty in the morning and everyone was just settling down, getting ready to go to sleep. A loud crash from the front door startled everyone, causing the gods to come rushing out and the avatars to spring up from where they had settled. However, there was no need for their alarm. In Yatzil’s foyer a damp Tefnut and Maya stood.
“Have you found them?” Tefnut called out to the other gods as she shook her head. She had some water in her ears.
“Yes.” Hathor told her.
“What?” Tefnut said, her water logged ears making it hard for her to hear.
“Yes.” Khonshu told the goddess, nodding.
“Oh, say it again, my ears are clogged.”
Everyone looked at Tefnut, “YES!” the group told her, near simultaneously.
“Mum! Mum, I’m awake!” a little British voice called from down the hall. Yatzil sighed, she had just gotten him to fall asleep two hours ago. She hoped it would be easier this time. She walked down the hall, Khonshu and Hathor close behind her. She could be heard muttering the entire way.
Declan left the room and grabbed a few towels for Maya and Tefnut, as well as a dry shirt and pair of flannel pants from Yatzil’s room. When he re-entered the living room, he found Anubis scolding Tefnut.
“Do you have any idea how long it took them to get the boys down? And you just waltz in here all damp, stinking of death, making a racket! The boys had a long day, they need their sleep. We need our sleep. I have not slept for more than an hour in over three days now! I am seeing double, my heart is racing, there is a little green goblin in the room making faces at me, and a giant pink armadillo is looking in the window!” Anubis was shaking, and he had tears streaming down his face.
Declan handed the towels and clean clothes to Maya, and then he nudged Horus. “Do something.” He whispered to his god as he pointed at the clearly sleep deprived Anubis.
Horus goes over to Anubis and lays his hand on top of the other god’s head. There is a blue glow, and Anubis’s eyes roll into the back of his head and he dropped to the floor with a loud thump. Declan walks up to him and sees that he is snoring.
“You could have at least put him in a bed first.” He told Horus as he shoved the deeply asleep god to the side. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to hit the hay. Wake me in the morning.” He climbed over the sleeping god and settled onto the couch. The rest of the avatars returned to their resting places, and the gods returned to the music room. Maya, the last to settle, turned off the lights. They all whispered goodnight to each other and fell asleep listening to Uatzil’s pleas with her boys, begging them to ‘please just go back to sleep.’
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The next morning everyone, save Anubis, was woken up at the very early hour of five in the morning. Everyone gathered in the kitchen. Declan started cooking a breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and sausage. He also laid out the leftover muffins and coffee cakes from the previous day. A massive pot of coffee was brewed and all of the adults were on at least their second cup. Marc was busy eating a slice of coffee cake and some eggs.
Yatzil went into the living room to switch the morning news on. She nearly tripped over the sleeping death god in her living room, as he had at some point rolled out into the middle of the floor. “What is up with him?” she questioned.
“Severe sleep deprivation. Horus knocked him out. He’ll probably sleep for another ten, twenty hours.” Declan answered from the kitchen. Yatzil sighed, she would have to have someone move the massive jackal god so that no one else tripped over him.
She turned the morning news on and went to return to her friends in the other room. However, she stopped when she heard the story that was currently playing.
“A shocking discovery was made along the banks of the River Thames this morning, the remains of approximately a dozen different individuals were found washed ashore. The remains date in age from as recent as weeks old to potentially being from the medieval times. Scientists are baffled as to what exactly caused this mass unearthing of these remains, and if any foul play was involved. More to come at Noon.”
Everyone turned to look at Tefnut and Maya. Maya stuffed a muffin in her mouth and pointed at Tefnut. Tefnut shrugged. “I was looking for the boys.”
Khonshu started laughing hysterically, pointing at Tefnut. “You thought…Haha…They were in the Thames? They hate water. OH. But instead they were in the DUAT! HAHAHA!” They all looked at the bird god, who seemed to have lost his mind.
“Khonshu?” Hathor prompted him.
“It’s just, our family is going to be so much more fun. And I am so happy that you all will be a part of it. My big, happy, crazy family.” He chuckled. Yes, it was going to be a big, happy, crazy family indeed. And oh, the stories they would have to tell.