Chapter 13 - The End Of Troubles

Flore stopped suddenly and glanced at her mother. Natalie looked at the spoon that Flore was about to put into her mouth with a puzzled look, then she came up to her and said,

- What's that thing in your spoon?

Nick's face lit up:

- Yeees! Mum!! It's me!!

He could not believe it. While he had definitely lost all hope, she had finally noticed! He saw the faces of the two giantesses approaching him.

- Mum! Flore! It's me!! Nick!!
- Do not tell me that ... - started Flore.
- Nicky? - asked Natalie surprise. It's really you ?
- Yes! Mom, I'm here!!

He did not know if they could really hear him, but he kept shouting.

- Oh darling, but what happened to you? - asked Natalie, who looked both confused and guilty.

She put her hand over the spoon and gently grabbed the boy between her thumb and forefinger to get him out of the mousse.Then she placed him in the palm of her hand. Flore put the spoon back into the bowl of chocolate mousse and put it back on the table.

- Since when have you been shrunk? - asked Natalie.
- This morning. - answered Nick.

His mother turned to Flore:

- Go get your father's amplifier.

Nick saw the massive silhouette of his sister get up and go upstairs. Natalie turned to her son again:

- Oh my poor darling! And to say that we almost swallowed you!

She brought her hand towards her face and she pressed the boy against her cheek. Nick had trouble talking:

- Mom … Care ...ful!

He tried timidly to struggle to get away from her until she released her embrace. She looked at her son tenderly as Flore came down and sat down again on the couch. Natalie put Nick on the coffee table and Flore stretched her giant index finger in front of him. On top was a little box. Nick retrieved it and took out the miniature amplifier that his father had developed to be able to communicate normally once shrunk. It was a kind of helmet with a microphone, a bit like the pilots of planes. He had used it a lot to develop his machine and communicate with his wife, who he had shrunk when he made the final adjustments. Nick equipped himself with it and asked:

- Does it work? You hear me?

The two women agreed.

- What's happened? - asked Flore.

Nick replied a little ashamed:

- Well this morning, I forgot to take new batteries for my prototype. Trying to remove the old ones, I pressed the button without doing it on purpose and just after, they gave out and my machine broke down.
- But where did it happen? - asked Natalie.
- Right in front of the house. - answered Nick. I was about to return.
- Do you mean that you've been home in this state since this morning? Poor thing, I hope we did not put you in too much danger ...
- Well ...

Nick did not want to make them uncomfortable by telling them everything that had happened to him, and Natalie did not even want to imagine what all her actions could have represented to her son at his tiny size. To stop the discomfort, Flore asked:

- So your prototype is shrunk too?
- Yes. We would need shrunk batteries to make it work.
- The problem is that your father took his machine - said Natalie, looking concerned.

There was a silence then Nick suddenly had an idea:

- Wait! Do you remember that Dad had shrunk one of the neighbour's furniture?
- Yes, but how would that help us? - asked Flore.
- There may be something to power my prototype in it.
- But she must have emptied the furniture before shrinking it. - she replied.
- It's worth trying anyway. - said Natalie. Well done Nicky! Let's go.
- Okay. - Nick agreed. But I have to get my prototype back.
- Where is it? - asked his mother.
- In my bag. It was shrunk too. I left it next to the front door.

Natalie put her hand on the edge of the table so Nick could get on it. He sat down and Natalie got up slowly so as not to cause sudden movements. She put the boy near the door, who was happy to see that his suitcase was still there, and that his mother had not sucked it up when she did the housework. Nick opened his suitcase and took his prototype. Natalie took him in her hand before leaving the house, followed by Flore. As they walked, Natalie recovered her hand to protect her boy from the wind as they made their way to the house across the road. It felt good for Nick to finally feel protected. Once there, Flore rang the bell. Alizée opened a few seconds later:

- Oh hello! There is a problem?
- Sorry to disturb you, but this time, it's our turn to ask you something. - said Natalie.
- Yes, of course, enter.

Once inside, Alizée closed the door, and before she could ask any questions, Natalie held out her hand containing her son:

- There was an accident this morning with Nick.

Alizée leaned over to find the little boy in her mother's hand. Nick saw her huge face getting closer to him, and again saw how pretty she was. The eyes of the giantess widened when she understood what had happened.

- It can't be, Nick?
- Yes it's me. - he replied shyly.
- But what happened? Is he okay ?
- He accidentally shrank with his prototype. We only noticed him a moment ago. - explained Natalie.
- You mean he's been like this since this morning?- asked the neighbour. Oh the poor little boy!

Although she certainly did not suspect that he had spent part of the day with her and that he had landed in her lunch, she was looking at Nick with a lot of tenderness. He had the impression that she wanted to kiss him.

- Alizée, do you remember that piece of furniture that had been shrunk in your house? - asked Natalie.
- Yes, of course. I still have it.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a miniaturized piece of furniture.

- My brother still needs to collect it. But why? You need it?
- Nick's size changing prototype, which was shrunk too, ran out of power. But maybe there will be something to power it within the piece of shrunken furniture.

Alizée put the piece of furniture on the table and Natalie tilted her hand slightly so that Nick would come down. The boy approached and began to search inside while the three giantesses looked at him. Seeing their three faces peering over him was quite intimidating. After several seconds, Nick shouted victoriously:

- There! There are batteries!

Flore and Natalie shouted with joy. The latter added:

- Well done darling!

Flore turned to Alizée:

- Do you know if they still have a charge?
- No idea - the neighbour replied, shaking her head.

Nick removed the old batteries and put in two new ones instead.

- I'll take off the helmet and put it away before giving it a try. - he said.

Flore handed him the box again and he placed the helmet inside. Then Alizée put her hand in the hollow of the table:

- Come here Nick. It's better not to do that here. If it ever works, you might break the table.

A little embarrassed, he stepped forward and climbed into her hand. She lifted him gently and took a few steps without letting go of his eyes. He had never found her so pretty. She knelt slowly to put Nick on the floor. To see her so attentive and take care of him pleased the young boy. When he came down from her hand, he saw her smile, looking at him tenderly before seeing her giant figure stand up and walk away.

Then Nick pointed the prototype device at himself and pressed the button. He suddenly resumed his normal size. His mother fell on him and took him in his arms:

- Nicky! Honey! You succeeded!

She kissed him several times, hugging him. Then it was Flore's turn to embrace him, saying:

- I'm sorry for a little while ago, little brother.

Then, while he was not expecting it at all, Alizée approached and kissed him on the cheek.

- So to make up for this day, what would you say we all go together to the Science Fair? - asked Natalie.

But at that moment, the Science Fair did not matter to him. He had just received a gift that was much more valuable to him.

END

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn