#rivervale_lodge

"Oh..." May says

"Darn.. " Lupita shrugs.

They whisper and confer.

"Maybe... if I have a set time to come back?"

"DAAAADDDD!"

"Oh no, we've put it off ..." He says

"But Dad...."

"Looks like we're just going to have to study with you" May says.

"Yup. If your dad is cool with that" Lupita agrees and breaks out her backpack with books

"Oh..."

"Dad, can my friends do their homework here, too?"

"Mmm" He eyes them, "You gonna all focus on study or will you distract each other?"

"Please?"

"Fine. But if I hear too much laughter and see no work, I'm going to have to suggest solo study again. You two need to call your folks before you set up to study?"

"No sir, my folks expect me to be gone" Lupita says

"I'm good, sir. I can just text my folks." May assures

"We'll be good!"

"Okay, then I'll leave you three alone." He nods "We got sodas in the fridge if you need them, or lemonade."

"Thanks." A grin at her friends.

And once he's gone, the three organize

"I'll grab the sodas" Lupita says

"I'll clear the table" May says "Or are we doing this in your room?"

"Down here works..."

And they set up shop so to speak

"Math is the worst..." But she seems more resigned to it, doing homework with friends.

Math is the worst. It is known.

There is some whispering, double-checking answers...

Betty walks by at one point to go gets some chips.

A wave to Bets from the homework-cluster!

"This equation is impossible" May sighs

Betty munches, walks by... snorts, points to a spot in the equation for them, makes a 'turn it around' gesture and keeps walking

"Must be easy when you're a flippin' prodigy!"

"Thanks Betty."

Betty looks smug, gives the okay symbol and heads off

"Can we drink her brains and make her smarts our own?" Lupita says

"I don't think it works that way..."

"The zombie risk is far too high"

"Then we'd have to shoot each other in the heads. Yuck" May sighs

It is agreed the zombie risk is too damned high

"Now, next halloween - who knows?"

Agreements.. "Then her skull is fair game" Lupita says

"But only on Halloween, and she might be extra tricky then."

"Oh.. I had the weirdest dream... but itw asn't about zombies... I was small..and almost everyone else was a giant.. .like huge... and Sam got this scroll and it had something important on it. She read it, but no on else could hear it.... but it was really important."

"Weird... maybe you dreamed about what I was telling you about? Going to court?"

"It's official now. I'm adopted."

"Maybe, and it's SO cool you're adopted" May smiles "Your majesty. "

"Oh yeah, she's a king now." A grin from Lupita "We should practice our bows"

A blush. "Guys..."

"We're just razzing you a bit" A nudge from Lupita

"I know. Just... " Shrug, smile.