5
Friday had been a rough day at the office where Gigget worked part time. Even her bones were tired with all the running around she’d done to help customers. She’d picked up the kids and then grabbed a few items at the grocery store.
Lulu rushed up to her. “Gigget! Are you well?”
“I’m fine. Why? Has something happened?” She glanced at her children who were clinging on either side of her in reaction to the intensity of the woman’s tone of voice.
Her friend leaned in closer. “Tink saw Fez challenge Bing to a duel over you at the plant yesterday.”
“Oh? A duel, you say? Isn’t that something they did in the olden days? We don’t duel—at least not anymore.”
“Yes. Isn’t it delicious? Bing defended your honor.”
“Fighting isn’t good,” Amoretta said.
Gigget patted her daughter’s back. “You’re correct. I hope Mr. Twinkle didn’t have to.”
“There wasn’t a punch thrown, but Fez has been temporarily suspended from his job due to the incident. Tink says Bing was wise and won with his words.”
Frowning, Gigget hesitated to inquire more.
“You can fight with words?” Djoni asked. “Did he say naughty words?”
“That’s the wonderful part; he never raised his voice, or called him a name or swore. Tink says it was a battle of wits.”
Gigget laughed. “I can understand where Mr. Twinkle would win at that. He is a clever man.”
“So, you like him?” LuLu asked.
“We want him to be our daddy,” Amoretta said.
Gigget closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Children and their wishes. We met him last week and twice he saved us from difficult situations.” Her eyes opened and she tried to maintain a serene exterior. She loved Lulu but didn’t need her friend to play matchmaker.
“He’d be perfect for you and the kids. A winter wedding would be lovely,” Lulu’s voice took on a wistful tone. “I would be your matron of honor, right?”
“I’m not dating anyone right now and there are no plans to marry anyone, now, or in the future. Please don’t give the children unrealistic expectations.”
“Spoilsport. Well, at least you can be on the lookout for Ponderosa. If he couldn’t take down Mr. Twinkle, he might come after you next. Have a good night. Call if you need anything. I’ll be praying…” Lulu winked, and her cheeks grew pink.
“Thanks for the heads up and the prayers.” Gigget moved away with her cart. She suspected her friend was praying for that winter wedding. Lulu wanted love, rainbows, and sparkly things for everyone. And yet, Gigget counted Lulu as one of her best friends who stood by her when life fell apart. One didn’t trade in friends like that even if they were a little on the flighty and dreamy side of things. Everyone needed someone who dreams.
What happened to her dreams? She’d thought of painting someday. Or doing some other creative job. She’d longed to be a homemaker, but Zeph had destroyed those dreams. Now she only wanted to survive. Thriving and dreaming were put on the back burner of trying to make an emotionally and physically safe home for her children. It had been a long road.
“Come on children, let’s check out and get home. Your pumpkins should be happily greeting us from the front porch.”
The children cheered and scrambled into their booster seats. Gigget headed for home.
She pulled into the long driveway. She’d set the timer for the lights so that they would go on outside, highlighting the pumpkins. She’d wanted the kids to see how special they were.
“Where are the pumpkins, Mom?” Djoni asked.
Gigget frowned. Where were the pumpkins?
They rushed to the porch and found pumpkin pieces scattered all over.
“Mom! Someone killed my pretty little pony pumpkin!” Tears leaked out of Amoretta’s eyes.
“I’ll beat up whoever did this,” Djoni said as he picked up pieces. There were seeds and pumpkin goo everywhere.
“No one will be beating up anyone. Let’s get the groceries inside and clean up this mess. If you want to paint new ones, we can put them inside the front window so they can still be seen but protected.” Gigget’s mind whirled. Who would do such a thing? Fez? Surely he wouldn’t take out his anger on her by destroying property?
Once they had the groceries inside, she let the kids start their homework while she cleaned up the pumpkin pieces.
That’s kind of how she felt at times. Smashed to pieces, broken down by life. Her own tears leaked out as she cleaned up, grateful her children couldn’t witness her grief.
~*~
Bing shivered a little as he made his way down the street of the Saturday Farmer’s Market. He found Gigget in her usual spot. The kids were bouncing a ball on the sidewalk. The wind was brisk today and Gigget’s cheeks took on a ruddy tone that made her more adorable.
“Mr. Twinkle. What a pleasure to see you again. I have a box of some things for you as a way to say thank you for your assistance on Sunday.” She grabbed the box and set it before him.
“What do we have here?” Bing asked.
“Pumpkin pie and apple pie. You could wrap one up and freeze it. There’s another loaf of bread, and some home-canned goods.” She indicated the labeled jars.
“You’ll make me fat if you keep feeding me like this,” he said, smiling to let her know he was teasing.
She grinned.
The children noticed him and came rushing forward. “Hi, Mr. Twinkle,” they chimed in unison.
“Can I ask you a question?” Djoni asked.
“Certainly. I’ll try my best to answer it.” Bing wondered what that little mind had conjured up.
“How did you beat Mr. Ponderosa in a battle of wits?” Djoni asked.
Amoretta hopped up and down. “What are wits anyway? Are they like grits? I don’t like grits.”
Bing chuckled. Word of his dust up with Fez must have reached them. “Wits are your ability to think sharp and creatively so that when you talk, you speak wisely.”
The frowns on the children’s faces indicated they still might not understand.
“Children,” Gigget said, “sometimes you can say things in a way that someone else may have trouble understanding. If you’re clever, you can use words to amaze, impress, or confuse people as well as to teach them and make them feel good.”
“Oh, like when you called my pumpkin painting dynamic?” Amoretta asked.
“Sweetheart, I didn’t mean to confuse you. That was a compliment and maybe the word was one you didn’t understand but you did learn a new word, right?”
“Does that make me smart?” the little girl asked.
“The more words you learn the smarter you get,” Bing said. “You have a good mother who teaches you words and how to use them wisely. In time you will be able to use them in new and creative ways.”
“Like when people do riddles?” Djoni asked.
“Something like that.” Bing affirmed. He patted the side of the box. “Well, I should get going.”
Amoretta wipe a tear away from her cheek.
“What’s wrong young lady?”
“My dynamic pumpkin got smashed yesterday.” Her lips were in a pout.
“Sometimes people do mean things. We did paint another one last night, and it is staying inside now but can be seen from the window,” Gigget said.
“No idea who did it?”
Gigget shook her head.
“Do you have a camera on your doorbell?”
“No. I can’t afford security like that.”
“It’s not expensive. I would be honored if you would let me install one for you in the front and the back. A single mom with two precocious young’uns can’t be too careful now days. If you want, I could do it this afternoon.”
“I keep getting indebted do you, Mr. Twinkle.”
“I’d rather see you in debt and safe than something bad happen to you or the kiddos.”
She sighed. “OK.” She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down her address and handed it to him. “I might have some friends there when you come, but if you’d like to join us for dinner, you’d be welcome.”
“I’ll never pass up your cooking if what I’ve tasted so far is any indication of your skills.” He patted his stomach.
“Yay! Mr. Twinkle is coming over!” The kids scurried back to their ball.
“Thank you,” Gigget said.
More customers were coming, so he grabbed his box and left. After putting away the groceries, he went to purchase the best security camera he could find for the family that was slowly stealing his affections.
Bing grinned. Dinner with Gigget and the kids? It sounded wonderful. He hoped her friends liked him.