Isabel went to visit her cousin Rachel for a couple days, to tell her some good news.
"Hey, Rach, Guess what? I'm transferring to fashion design school in LA."
"So's Jess," Rach said, "let's go tell her!" She strapped Annie into her stroller, andf the walked the two blocks over to the Hanson's house & rang the doorbell.
Diana
Diana opened the door.
"Hi girls," she greeted. "Come on in."
She held the door open for them.
"Jessi's in her room."
Jessica
Jessi heard people came in in poked her head out her door to see who was coming.
"Izzybell!" she cried running to hug her fellow Dreamwalker.
Isabel
Isabel returned the hug.
"Hey Jessi-girl," she grinned. "I understand you're going to fashion design school in LA too?"
Jessica and Rachel
"You're transferring?" Jessi asked. "Oh my goodness, we totally need to room together! Then Mum won't be so apprehensive about me going alone!" Rachel giggled.
"Just don't forget our holiday," Rach said, winking.
Isabel
"Absolutely have to room together," Isabel nodded.
She looked from Jessica to Rachel, curiously.
"What holiday?"
Jessica and Rachel
"Should we tell her?" Jess asked.
"Izzy can handle a secret. Just don't let in on it to Max or Michael," Rachel warned.
"Dawn's going to trasport us to a dimension where women are Amazons, the dominant gender, and men have to do what they're told!" Jessi said, giggling. "We can spend a whole year there, and be back here in a day or two."
"That's not even the best part," Rachel said, snickering. "Friday is going to turn Zac into a girl and get 'her' pregnant! But you can tell NOBODY," Rach warned.
Isabel
"Oh my gosh, no way," Isabel exclaimed. "Noooo waaaaayyy! That is so cool. He totally deserves to have his own baby for once. Dude... so cool. Never fear, I shant tell anyone."
She giggled gleefully.
Jessica and Rachel
"So, I bet Mom will totally relax when I tell her that you and I will be living together, instead of poor little Jessi moving to LA by herself," she said, giggling. "Let's go eat something, I'm hungry."
"Plus, I thought Diana might want to gush over her grandbaby for a little bit," Rach said. "Even though, thanks to Zac's eternal horniness, she has more than she can probaby count."
Isabel
"All grandparents love their grandchildren not matter how many they have," Isabel said. "It's the nature of grandparentdom. Any grandparent who doesn't like having grandchildren are abnormal freaks. Food sounds good."
Jessica and Rachel
Jess led the way into the kitchen, and found Diana making fried chicken.
"Mmmmmmmmm, chicken," Jess said, sighing happily.
"Ew, meat," Rach said, wrinkling her nose.
"Buh!" Annie said, her word having meaning only to herself.
Isabel
"There's salad available in the fridge," Diana said. "Feel free to raid that if you're hungry, Rachel."
"I don't understand you of all people being a vegetarian," Isabel commented. "I mean, you of all people, being an Animorph, should understand the food chain better than anyone else."
Rachel
"Well," Rachel said slowly. "I can't eat beef after being a cow. I can't eat bird meats after being a bird. Milk and eggs don't hurt living animals, as long as the eggs are unfirtilized, of course. But after being animals, I can't bring myself to eat them anymore." Rachel explained.
Isabel
Isabel shrugged.
"Well, I suppose that's another way of looking at it," she smiled.
Jessica
"Oh, Mommy Dearest," Jessi sang, "Meet my new LA roommate," she said, gesturing to Isabel, as Rachel lifted Annie into a highchair.
Isabel
Diana turned to look at Isabel, feeling the room filled with a gleeful delight.
"Roommate?"
"I got into the same fashion school," Isabel explained.
Diana's expression brightened.
"Why, Isabel, that's wonderful," she looked back at Jessica, a smile on her face. "Wonderful indeed."
Rachel
"Let's just not think of the mischief two dreamwalkers can get up to when left alone on the other side of the country," Rachel said, winking at Diana. "And I believe your granddaughter would like to show off her favourite word again."
"Buh!" Annie aggreed.
"It's all she said," Rachel said giggling.
Isabel
Isabel chuckled.
"Does 'buh' have a meaning?" she asked.
Rachel and Jessica
"At this point, I believe 'buh' means just about everything, since it'sthe only thing she says," Rachel explained giggling.
Jess took Diana's distracion as a chance to steal a piece of chicken before supper was ready.
Isabel
"Hey," Diana objected.
But the look on her face was amused and Isabel giggled.
"When are you girls headed to LA?" Diana asked. "After New Years, I hope."
Jessica and Rachel
"School starts the last week of January, but we're going a week early for orientation and to get settled in," Isabel explained.
"ANd I want to introduce Iz to some of the people I've met through the guys' band," Jess explained. Rachel got a can of strained carrots from the cubbord and started feeding Annie.
Diana
Diana nodded.
"Sounds good to me," she said. "Well, lunch is about done. Can you get me some plates, please, Jess?"
Jessica
"Sure," Jess said, grabbing the plates and setting the kitchen table. Then they all sat down to eat.