From: Angela-Minuet <minuet_angel@yahoo.com>
To: JQML@onelist.com, JonnyQuestFics@onelist.com
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 11:53:06 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [JQML] [FIC] An Uneventful Day
Message-ID: <19990322195306.2088.rocketmail@web710.mail.yahoo.com>
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From: Angela-Minuet <minuet_angel@yahoo.com>

ARgh!  Are you happy now Andrea and Light? Cuz I only did this for
you.....*shakes her head*  This probably doesn't make any sense and
probably has a lot of typos, but I really don't care....you girls owe
me big time!


Disclaimer:  Don't own, so don't sue.
Archivers:  If you're crazy enough....
Rating:  G

An Uneventful Day	

By Minuet

The sun was starting to sneak its way through the cracks in the shade
and the chattering of birds announced it was morning.  Normally Benton
Quest would already be up, diligently at work in his office, but this
morning was different.  Three hours ago he had finally climbed into
bed, a difficult and time-consuming experiment finally behind him.
	As the door to the bedroom slowly opened, he turned on his side,
instinctively cuddling his young wife.  He didn't need to open his
eyes to see the figure approaching.  He could imagine the small,
barefoot child with a small black and white puppy shuffling their way
across the room.  He could feel the bed move slightly as the boy
climbed onto the bed.  He abruptly opened his eyes, though, when the
boy jumped on top of him.
	"Daddy, its morning."
	Benton tried to pretend he was asleep but Rachel gave him a gentle
pinch.  "Benton."  There was a pause.  "Benton, I believe your child
is awake."
	"Daddy, you promised!  You said Saturday morning.  It's morning,
let's go!"
	Rachel laughed, rolling over and pulling the quilt up to her chin. 
"You promised Benton.  You wouldn't want to break a promise to your 5
year old son, would you?"  She started to push him off the bed.  "Have
fun."  She giggled as he clumsily made his way out of the covers.
	"My child?  I do believe he looks more like you, dear.  And he
certainly has your persistence."  He bent down and kissed her on the
forehead.
	"And he has your charms.  Have fun, and be careful?"  He could see
the smirk on her face as she slid further down into the warmth.  By
the time Benton was dressed she was fast asleep.
	Twenty minutes and two cups of coffee later, Benton pulled the sedan
into a parking space.  He imagined all the things he could be
accomplishing at the moment instead of being here.  He couldn't
believe he survived the grueling trip surround by the never-ending
question, "Are we there yet?"  Though, with Jonny, he was almost used
to it.  That boy was a bottomless pit of questions.  But his horror
was yet to begin, for they had just arrived at every parent's
nightmare and every child's dream come true.  The toy store.
	As Jonny anxiously dragged him towards the entrance he could see the
fear and anxiety in the other parents' faces.  He could tell it was
going to be a long, long day.
	It started as soon as they entered.  Jonny's eyes lit up and before
Benton knew it, he was on the run.  He could see the little blond head
bopping up and down as he maneuvered in-between other customers. 
Benton, on the other hand, had a more difficult time for he was not as
small or coordinated as his son.
	"Jonny! Don't touch that!"  Benton managed to grab the game boy out
of the boy's hands, apologizing to the clerk.  He sighed to himself as
he turned to reprimand the boy.  Again, he was too slow, for he
realized he was no longer there.  "Oh boy, here we go."
	Benton walked briskly up and down the aisles, knowing that at any
moment his son would be causing havoc throughout the store.  After a
few minutes, which seemed like a lifetime, he caught a glimpse of
fabric flying down the far aisle.  Apparently Jonny had found the
skateboards and was trying one out.  Unfortunately, like most young
children, the speed and instability was a little too much.  He could
see people jumping out of the way, yelling, and toys flying off the
shelves as his son bumped into the displays.
	"Jonny!  Look out!"  Was the only thing Benton could say before Jonny
ran into an old lady.  She fell backward, sitting abruptly in a
child's pool, filled to the brim with water and rubber ducks.  "Oh,
um, mame, I'm, um, terribly sorry."  He tried to help her out but got
a hard knock to the side of the head by her oversized purse.  "Sorry,
you know children."  His face turned a bright crimson as he rushed past.
	He had lost site of his son, but only needed to follow the sounds of
destruction and surprised customers in order to find him.  Five aisles
and two disasters later he was able to wrap his arms around the little
boy.
	"Jonny."  He tried so hard to sound stern through his gasps of
breath.  "You know," swallow, "you're not supposed to do that.  Did
you see what happened to that poor woman?"
	Jonny looked at the floor, his little shoe tracing the tile.  "Yes
daddy."
	"Good.  Now, " handing the skateboard to the boy, "WALK this back to
where you found it and put it away.  And don't touch another thing."
	Jonny went to grab it.
	"Jonny.......walk it, okay?"  Benton had resulted to pleading.
	"Sure daddy." 
	He leaned against a shopping cart, his lack of sleep starting to
catch up with him.  He watched, contented, as his small son walked
down a few aisles.   He stayed where he was, relieved to be able to
catch his breath.  What could the boy possibly do in a matter of two
minutes?  He patiently waited, closing his eyes briefly.  It couldn't
have been more than a minute before a startled scream jolted his eyes
open.  Sighing, he briskly walked towards the commotion, making a
mental note that his wife would be in charge of future toy store visits.
	As he rounded the corner, he felt like crying and laughing at the
same time.  Jonny had managed to corner another young man with a nerf
gun.  The first shot had sent a stack of board games falling around
the boy and he was preparing to take another shot.
	"Jonny!  I swear this is the last time I take you anywhere.  Do you
act this way with your mother?"  Benton tried to rush towards his son,
but not before the second child pulled out his own gun and charged
towards Jonny.  All Benton could do is stand and watch as his child
shot back, clearly not watching where he was going.  Benton shook his
head as his son ran smack into a display of barbie dolls, quickly
falling to the floor.  He couldn't help but laugh as the display
tumbled on top of him, covering his small son.  He casually walked to
the mess, eventually removing a few boxes to uncover his son.  The
look on his face was worth it.
	"Ewww!  Dolls!  Now I have girl cooties all over me!"  Jonny
frantically rubbed at his clothes, trying to destroy the cooties.  All
Benton could do was laugh, but of course that was short lived.
	"Ahem!"  He looked slowly up into the eyes of the store manager.  "Do
you know how much damage your son  Mr......?"  The manager paused
waiting for a reply.
	"Mr,  um, Dr. Quest.  Yes, I'm sorry."  His cheeks grew ever redder. 
"I'll take care of it all."  He lifted his son to his feet.

"Quest?  I was warned about you.  Weren't you banned from the Toys R
Us in Rockport?"								
Benton shuffled his feet, embarassed.  With a small, beaten voice he
replied, "Yes."	"Well,  Dr. Quest, I hope you know how to work because
there's a big mess that needs to be cleaned up.  You and your son had
better get busy."				

Benton gave his son an agonized look as the manager handed him a broom.	

Two hours later an exhausted and down trodden Benton pulled to the top
of the driveway.  He sat for a minute, trying to gather the energy to
unbuckle his seatbelt and open the door.  Jonny, on the other hand, 
quickly opened the door, giving his father a hug before jumping out.
										"Thanks!  That was the most funnest time!"  Jonny quickly
ran into the house calling out to his mother.    						
Benton sighed and slowly made his way into the house, walking past his
wife and chattering son, and collapsed onto the couch.  He could hear
his son rambling on about their adventure and all the things he'd
done.  His wife was laughing quietly and he knew he'd never hear the
end of it.   He closed his eyes, not noticing that Rachel had walked
into the room.  He quickly fell asleep, a look of exasperation on his
face.  But he also looked content.										
She stared down at him, smiling, then leaned down to give him a kiss
on the cheek.  She brushed a strand of red hair away from his brow. 
"Yep, that's our son."  She touched his cheek briefly then quietly
left him to his well deserved sleep.															
That's the end!  Weird, huh?  Well, I promised a few people I'd write
something, but I didn't promise it'd make sense, so there!   Comments?
 Bricks?  Send em.. minuet_angel@yahoo.com  Thanks! Min....




==
***************************Angela W*************************
Reach me by ICQ. My ICQ# is 3177242 
I admit it! I'm proud to be a quirky Race groupie!
Visit Race's Retreat at:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Bungalow/2077/index.html


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