"Both of her ancestral cuisines? Or more than just that?" Rodger asked with a slight smile.

  Bella giggled, and said "Anything and everything.  I'm goodat it."

"Well, than, you have a skill with which to support yourself without advertising how extraordinary you are. There's always a call for quality cooking."

Unfortunately, he realized, if the players of The Game had any kind of get togethers or meetings - something that he still wasn't sure regularly happened, despite the one group meeting for conducting a rescue - he couldn't ask Bella to do the catering any more than he could ask Meg. Which reminded him; he still hadn't told the demons about the girl from the future. Maybe he could spring it on Johnny and let the professional deal with it?

  Bella nodded, and said "Yes.  The only sticky part is that I'm sorta fifteen, and sorta don't exist yet.  Makes a job problematic."

"Oh yes... social security numbers. You'll need to get one before you can be employed. Well, one that's valid in the present... did Social Security finally collapse or is it still around in the future?"

  Bella nodded, and said "Oh, I have one.  I just don't know if I want to try using it.  Makes for some awfully complicated questions, you know?"

"Considering that it wouldn't have been issued yet, yes. Oh dear." He considered this while coaxing John to let go of something he'd grabbed onto.

  Bella nodded, and said softly "I have my birth certificate.  My social security card.  My Registration card.  I had to be registered when I was two, the neighbors freaked too badly when I drug their car out to the road to play with it.  Apparently I just wanted to push it around."

In reply to Chuck Edwards (msg #51):

Jeff sighed for a moment, then chuckled.

"OK...I think you got it. So if you guys will hang loose for a moment, I'll get the Pod worked out, then we go and have some fun."

His expression darkened. "I wish I'd never registered." Rodger stated.

  Bella shrugged, and said "Insurance.  They registered me so that the neighbors could be compensated for things I messed up."

"Yes, but they're superheroes. I'm quite definitely not cut out for that."

  Bella said "Hero can have a very flexible definition."  She gave him a sidelong look, not wanting to leave it at that, and not wanting to say too much.

In reply to Icepick (msg #62):

  Andy nodded, and said "We gotcha."

He caught the look, and stiffened for a second before looking away, ashamed. Rodger's ears reddened.

  Bella half smiled at him.  She knew he hated his job, but she could hardly tell him all the details!!

Rodger didn't see the half-smile. Internally, his thoughts were stewing over the mess that his life had become since that fateful birthday party. In the wheelchair, John's eyes flickered blue again, and he looked pensive beyond his years for a few moments before grinning and reaching up to bat playfully at his father's sleeve, making a game of trying to catch it like a kitten.

That distracted Rodger from the funk he was starting to fall into, playing along with his son's game.

  Bella was peeking through the t-shirts, and said "Heyla!  This one begs for you, Rodg."  She held it up, so he could see it proclaiming 'I don't play at clowning around, it is a lifestyle!'

He looked over, did a double take, and laughed. "That's a good one!" And took another look at the shirt when John's playtime with his arm permitted, guessing as to whether it was close to his size.

  Bella made it easy, she came around behind him and held it around him so that she could see if it would fit.  She grinned as it fit perfect, and Brenda told him affectionately "That is all you, Rodger.  We will have to get that one for you."

  The next one to go in the cart was one that said 'I'm with the clown', and was pink.  It had an arrow that went every-which-way, and ended in a question mark, with a big cream pie on the back.  That was for Brenda.

He grinned, clearly amused and in full agreement with them about it. Matching shirts if they went somewhere casual together. But, they were here for a specific reason, so they shouldn't get caught up in something else, he felt.

"Bella? Do you wear skirts or dresses, or prefer pants?" he asked after a little bit, having noticed a small display of long skirts.

  Bella said "I like skirts if they don't ride too high on my legs, or keep me from moving.  Gotta watch it, I rip them if they are tight and I can't move, and I'm in a hurry."  She held up a shirt to Jon to measure it against him, it said 'Quit clowning around?  But I'm just getting good at it!'

In reply to Andy Black (msg #67):

The plan was in motion. Hopefully Jack would feel a little more talkative about his relationship with Penny now that he was "with the guys." Jeff then scurried off for a moment to what appeared to be the electronics store, but got the Ipod ready to record.

Rodger eyed the shirt a little dubiously. It was cute, but while he was a clown - originally by choice, now by design - he'd rather let the boys decide for themselves whether they wanted to follow in his oversized footsteps, or take another career path.

  Bella grinned at him, and said "Let me know if you don't like something I spy."