Chapter 6 -- The Second 10 Points and Free DayThe next day would be Ojo's day off, and he was trying to impart some advice to Lewis before his son went to bed.
In the middle of his explanation about collections and portraits, Ojo's phone rang. It was Johnny, telling him there was a dance party at the Chalet.
"It's late, Dad," Ojo started to say, but then he realized how much time had elapsed since his father became an elder, and he recollected how often parties seemed to have a fatal effect. "I'll be right there," he said.
"I'm so glad you're still alive," he said, giving Johnny a hug.
"Why wouldn't I be?" said Johnny.
"Never mind," said Ojo. "Let's get you home, okay?"
Johnny took a nap as soon as he got home, and Ojo settled down to play the keyboard. After raising his skill a level and also becoming good friends with Darling, Ojo began to feel rather tired. He lay down for a nap, but Johnny soon woke him up.
"You're not supposed to sleep here," he scolded.
"But Dad, this is my old bed. No one else uses it," Ojo objected.
"I know why you're hanging around," said Johnny. "You're waiting to see me die."
"Well, yes," said Ojo. "I want to be able to bury you in the family cemetery."
"Over my dead body," said Johnny, and Ojo was forced to leave.
He went to bed when he got home, taking time only to invite his dad to come over. A few hours later, Ojo heard the music that signalled the Grim Reaper's imminent arrival. It wasn't for his father, though, but for Olivia's.
Grim showed up soon. "It's a busy day for me," he said. "Lots of people who started out as young adults are going to be biting the dust."
Sensitivity has never been Grim's strong suit.
But as Grim had predicted, Alice followed soon after Eric.
Ojo woke up when he heard Johnny crying.
"It'll be my turn next, won't it," he sobbed. "I have to go home and say good-bye to Miko."
"Dad, wait!" said Ojo, as Baby Mike began to cry. "Don't you dare take him until after I've fed the baby," he told Grim. "Olivia's at work, and I'm the only grown-up here."
But the Grim Reaper operates on his own schedule. By the time Mike finished eating, Ojo discovered that Johnny had died in San Myshuno, leaving not even an urn behind.
Tired and hungry, Ojo called Jasmine Holiday. "Ordinarily I wouldn't be asking for help," he said, "but I'm exhausted, and I have to be at work in a couple of hours. My Dad and my in-laws just died, so I feel very sad, and I have to look after the baby..."
"Relax," said Jasmine. "That's what I'm here for. Would you rather get more satisfaction points or be able to go longer without sleep?"
"If you could just give me something to keep me awake a few hours longer..."
"Done," said Jasmine.
At work that day, Ojo met the third of the Houser sisters.
"You must be Amber," he said.
"Unh-uh," said Amber. "It could be that I'm Norah or Hazel and I just changed my hair."
"I'm pretty sure you're Amber," said Ojo.
"Ah, but are you certain?"
"Yes," said Ojo, "because the others told me you're a goofball, and trying to pretend you're someone else is what a goofball would do. Also, Norah and Hazel have already had Llama Flu and can't get it again. Ergo, you're Amber."
That afternoon Mike was ejected from the bassinet. He's a vegetarian who will become outgoing and noncommittal.
Sitting down to play chess with Lewis, Ojo felt more relaxed than he had in ages. He was neither tired nor hungry. More important, he'd been promoted to assistant nurse, and Olivia had been promoted, too. It wouldn't be long before they'd all get another free day.
At that point, Olivia let out a blood-curdling scream. She wasn't in labor, Ojo knew that. He dashed downstairs.
"I had it under control," said Olivia.
"Just wanted to make sure," said Ojo. "And I don't understand why you were trying to cook. There's a whole plate full of tofu tacos in the fridge."
"Because not all of us are herbivores," said Olivia.
"Actually, I'm glad Mike's a vegetarian," said Ojo. "A vegetarian diet is much lower in cholesterol and healthier in the long run."
"But I'm an athlete and athletes need meat," said Olivia.
After they'd cleaned up, Ojo made it up to Olivia by serenading her on the piano.
Ojo had a good night's sleep and was able to get up early enough the next day to attempt a mind-concentrating yoga routine.
(Now, straighten your legs out.)
"Ha. I'd like to see you try this, Watcher."
(You never will, Sonny. You never will.)
Things did not go well at work that day. Ojo diagnosed Alexander Goth with Itchy Plumbob and had to perform surgery. The anesthesiologist failed to show up, and since it was Ojo's first surgery, he made a few mistakes. When it was all over, Ojo discovered that Alexander hadn't had Itchy Plumbob at all, but something else that he'd failed to diagnose.
When he got home, Ojo realized that it was his birthday. Quickly he made a sugar-free carob cake and blew out the candles.
It was Olivia's birthday, too, so he cheered for her while she aged up.
He invited Miko over to join the celebration.
But the celebrating didn't last long. It was time for Miko to join Johnny, Eric, and Alice.
Ojo arranged for the three of them to be buried in the grounds of the Zest Family Museum. He just wished that Johnny could have joined them.
Later that day, he told Olivia he was really tired of feeling sad all the time.
"Why don't you try doing a good deed for someone?" she suggested. "That usually perks me right up."
The next day, Ojo and Olivia sat down to watch TV together for a few minutes. Presently Olivia pulled Ojo aside. "Who is that man sitting next to you?" she asked.
"That's Max from work," said Ojo. "He doesn't have anywhere to live, so I invited him to move in with us."
"But --"
"I figured putting a roof over the head of some homeless person would definitely be a good deed," said Ojo.
(And the Watcher figured Max might have some other uses as well.)
Ojo picked up his next 12 points by becoming good friends with Darling Walsh, Mike, and Max Hiatt, by getting promoted twice at work, by gaining another 2 points with the piano, by Olivia getting promoted and Johanna and Lewis coming home with B's, by adding $30,000 to the original household income, and by gaining another 1000 Satisfaction points. He needed 12 points to offset the -2 from the fire.
