Kit tied her white apron on and stepped up to the table. “What kind would you like?” she asked a hungry-looking young man. When she turned around a few minutes later, she saw Sues granddaughter and Thomas, followed by one of the older kids, heading for the swings.
“I told them no farther than the swings without getting more permission.” Sue handed another customer a piece of pie. “You want whipped cream on that?” At the nod, she picked up a can of whipping cream, shook it, and squirted a mound in the middle of the pumpkin wedge.
By the end of two hours, Kit was more than glad to pass on her apron.
“They're over at the ball field. I gave them money for sodas,” Sue answered Kit's unspoken question. “That Thomas sure has good manners. Please and thank you and even a ma'am. They come from the South or something?”
“Got me. I've just met his teenage sister, and she was none too friendly. Thomas enjoys playing with dogs, though. I let him wear Missy out or vice versa.”
“He's got energy, you gotta admit that.”
“Yeah, and an unending supply of questions.” Kit turned at a hollered greeting and waved back. “Think I'll go check the ball field. You want to come?”
The two friends strolled down the wide aisle between stalls of every kind: foods, crafts, politics, and games with people everywhere, laughing and teasing with the barkers. Children ran through the gathering, winners laughed, and losers groaned. A long line waited to pitch and dunk the high-school principal, who heckled the crowd and badgered the hecklers. Red, white, and blue bunting decorated all the booths and looped from post to post along with the recently strung white lights, all set for the evening. One of the local politicians behind the podium on the bandstand promised everything but his jacket.
“You tell ‘em, sonny,” yelled a grizzled man leaning on his cane in one of the back row seats.
Two teenage girls shrieked when doused by squirt guns from two boys of about matching age.
Kit and Sue laughed and continued their stroll. “I wouldn't be that age again for all the milk in Wisconsin.”
“Me, either.” Sue side-stepped a toddler, bent on catching a fat dachshund who waddled on his leash behind a woman who was oblivious to the goings-on.
“What did you think about that article in the paper about breast cancer here in Jefferson County?” Kit brought up the subject that had been niggling in the back of her mind.
“I was appalled, had no idea things were so bad. Why?”
“Well, I have an idea. You still doing any quilting?”
“Some. Haven't had as much time since Janey and Kelly moved back home.”
“Where's Janey today?”
“At work. Nurses don't get holidays off, you know.”
“So you have Kelly all summer?”
“You got it. Never thought I'd be in this predicament, but what can you do? I'd much rather it was me taking care of her than some stranger. And Janey helps a lot around the house and such, not like some other families I've heard in the same situation.”
“I'm thinking some of us ought to get together and start a fundraiser to get us a new mammogram unit. You know, the machine that…” Kit made squeezing flat motions with her hands.
“Thing like that must cost a pretty penny.”
“I'm sure. Marcy gave me the idea of using a handmade quilt to auction for seed money. You be interested in helping on something like that?”
“Sure. Just let me know when.”
“Good, I'll keep you posted.” They stopped behind the backstop and looked out at the field.
“Mrs. C!” A shout from the outfield and a waving arm told her where Thomas was playing.
Sue turned to look at her. “Mrs. C?” Guess so.
“Grandma!” Kelly played next to Thomas.
The batter hit a high arching fly. Thomas took a couple of steps forward, and the ball fell right into his mitt. Kit couldn't tell if it was shock or awe that stretched his face, but she led the cheers for him. “Thataway Thomas! What a catch!”
“I told them no farther than the swings without getting more permission.” Sue handed another customer a piece of pie. “You want whipped cream on that?” At the nod, she picked up a can of whipping cream, shook it, and squirted a mound in the middle of the pumpkin wedge.
By the end of two hours, Kit was more than glad to pass on her apron.
“They're over at the ball field. I gave them money for sodas,” Sue answered Kit's unspoken question. “That Thomas sure has good manners. Please and thank you and even a ma'am. They come from the South or something?”
“Got me. I've just met his teenage sister, and she was none too friendly. Thomas enjoys playing with dogs, though. I let him wear Missy out or vice versa.”
“He's got energy, you gotta admit that.”
“Yeah, and an unending supply of questions.” Kit turned at a hollered greeting and waved back. “Think I'll go check the ball field. You want to come?”
The two friends strolled down the wide aisle between stalls of every kind: foods, crafts, politics, and games with people everywhere, laughing and teasing with the barkers. Children ran through the gathering, winners laughed, and losers groaned. A long line waited to pitch and dunk the high-school principal, who heckled the crowd and badgered the hecklers. Red, white, and blue bunting decorated all the booths and looped from post to post along with the recently strung white lights, all set for the evening. One of the local politicians behind the podium on the bandstand promised everything but his jacket.
“You tell ‘em, sonny,” yelled a grizzled man leaning on his cane in one of the back row seats.
Two teenage girls shrieked when doused by squirt guns from two boys of about matching age.
Kit and Sue laughed and continued their stroll. “I wouldn't be that age again for all the milk in Wisconsin.”
“Me, either.” Sue side-stepped a toddler, bent on catching a fat dachshund who waddled on his leash behind a woman who was oblivious to the goings-on.
“What did you think about that article in the paper about breast cancer here in Jefferson County?” Kit brought up the subject that had been niggling in the back of her mind.
“I was appalled, had no idea things were so bad. Why?”
“Well, I have an idea. You still doing any quilting?”
“Some. Haven't had as much time since Janey and Kelly moved back home.”
“Where's Janey today?”
“At work. Nurses don't get holidays off, you know.”
“So you have Kelly all summer?”
“You got it. Never thought I'd be in this predicament, but what can you do? I'd much rather it was me taking care of her than some stranger. And Janey helps a lot around the house and such, not like some other families I've heard in the same situation.”
“I'm thinking some of us ought to get together and start a fundraiser to get us a new mammogram unit. You know, the machine that…” Kit made squeezing flat motions with her hands.
“Thing like that must cost a pretty penny.”
“I'm sure. Marcy gave me the idea of using a handmade quilt to auction for seed money. You be interested in helping on something like that?”
“Sure. Just let me know when.”
“Good, I'll keep you posted.” They stopped behind the backstop and looked out at the field.
“Mrs. C!” A shout from the outfield and a waving arm told her where Thomas was playing.
Sue turned to look at her. “Mrs. C?” Guess so.
“Grandma!” Kelly played next to Thomas.
The batter hit a high arching fly. Thomas took a couple of steps forward, and the ball fell right into his mitt. Kit couldn't tell if it was shock or awe that stretched his face, but she led the cheers for him. “Thataway Thomas! What a catch!”
Similar Books
