them big hugs and of course had a meal fit for a king waiting for them.
“Gee, Val. For being lost in your woods, we sure are eating great. I’m probably gonna need new jeans when we get back.”
“Like you need a reason to ask for new jeans, Sam.” The girls laughed together. Sam was as much of a shop-a-holic as her mother with an equally over-spilling closet. Again the girls proved how night and day they were. On many occasions, Val’s mom had to insist that she change out of her pajama pants before leaving for school. Samantha was always dressed and completely accessorized.
Dorothea and Wilhelm stepped outside to talk. The girls assumed he was going to tell Dorothea the news about Snow. Suddenly Wilhelm came bursting in.
“We’re going to have a baby!” he shouted with pride. “Finally! A baby of our own!” He hugged them then picked up Dorothea and spun her around.
“I’m sorry, dear. I should probably be more careful with you.”
“You’re fine this once, but I suppose I should be more careful not to let such strong handsome men swing me around from now on.”
Wilhelm stole one more quick kiss and was off to spread the word to everyone he could. He was temporarily distracted and forgot he wanted to get the girls back to their home right away. They didn’t mind one bit. They were not about to stop him.
Val and Sam noticed Snow had gotten quiet. She wandered outside and the girls followed her.
“You doing okay, Snow?” Valerie asked.
“I’m fine. It’s just that I worry about them. I don’t think I should stay here. Dorothea will have a baby of her own soon and they surely won’t need me in the way.”
“Don’t say that. They love you. Of course you are still wanted. You think I got any less attention when my brother was born?” Sam asked.
“I know how it works.” Snow sighed. “I don’t know about this, though. I think I want to be by myself for a while if that’s okay with you two. I’m going down to the creek for a bit.”
“Okay. Don’t be long though. Dorothea will start to worry.”
Snow sat at the creek and cried. She missed her father so much and could not imagine life without him. Her mind wandered to her stepmother’s magic mirror and hoped that it could not see her and know she was still alive. She picked up pebbles and tossed them in the water. As the water rippled, she noticed something shiny and red at the bottom on the other side. Otter came running up behind her and ran straight into the water, making splashes everywhere and Snow lost the sight of it.
“You sure do have the right name, you silly dog,” she said with a laugh. Otter wagged her tail and almost appeared to smile with a look of satisfaction in her eyes. Made you smile! My job here is done. She came out of the water, shook herself off and rolled around in the grass. The water grew calm and Snow saw the shiny red object again. She was wading through the creek as the girls came running up.
“What are you doing, Snow?” asked Samantha.
“I see something in the water. Look, right there.” She pointed. “Wait. I’ll get it and bring it over. You probably can’t see it with me stirring up the water. Otter did that to me a minute ago as well.” She made her way over to where she saw it. It took a second to find it then she bent down, picked it up and studied it. It was the biggest ruby she had ever seen.
“What is it?” Val asked from the edge of the creek.
“Look!” She held it up and ran back through the water.
The girls took turns with their exclamations of amazement. “Oh my gosh! Is that a ruby? It’s huge!”
“Sure looks like one to me. My mother had a ruby ring, but nothing like this.”
Together they wandered through the creek looking for more stones, but they didn’t find anything.
Something got Valerie’s attention on the other side of the creek. She walked over to Samantha and gave her a nudge.
“Sam, look! It’s the possum!”
“Val, maybe it’s not even the
“Gee, Val. For being lost in your woods, we sure are eating great. I’m probably gonna need new jeans when we get back.”
“Like you need a reason to ask for new jeans, Sam.” The girls laughed together. Sam was as much of a shop-a-holic as her mother with an equally over-spilling closet. Again the girls proved how night and day they were. On many occasions, Val’s mom had to insist that she change out of her pajama pants before leaving for school. Samantha was always dressed and completely accessorized.
Dorothea and Wilhelm stepped outside to talk. The girls assumed he was going to tell Dorothea the news about Snow. Suddenly Wilhelm came bursting in.
“We’re going to have a baby!” he shouted with pride. “Finally! A baby of our own!” He hugged them then picked up Dorothea and spun her around.
“I’m sorry, dear. I should probably be more careful with you.”
“You’re fine this once, but I suppose I should be more careful not to let such strong handsome men swing me around from now on.”
Wilhelm stole one more quick kiss and was off to spread the word to everyone he could. He was temporarily distracted and forgot he wanted to get the girls back to their home right away. They didn’t mind one bit. They were not about to stop him.
Val and Sam noticed Snow had gotten quiet. She wandered outside and the girls followed her.
“You doing okay, Snow?” Valerie asked.
“I’m fine. It’s just that I worry about them. I don’t think I should stay here. Dorothea will have a baby of her own soon and they surely won’t need me in the way.”
“Don’t say that. They love you. Of course you are still wanted. You think I got any less attention when my brother was born?” Sam asked.
“I know how it works.” Snow sighed. “I don’t know about this, though. I think I want to be by myself for a while if that’s okay with you two. I’m going down to the creek for a bit.”
“Okay. Don’t be long though. Dorothea will start to worry.”
Snow sat at the creek and cried. She missed her father so much and could not imagine life without him. Her mind wandered to her stepmother’s magic mirror and hoped that it could not see her and know she was still alive. She picked up pebbles and tossed them in the water. As the water rippled, she noticed something shiny and red at the bottom on the other side. Otter came running up behind her and ran straight into the water, making splashes everywhere and Snow lost the sight of it.
“You sure do have the right name, you silly dog,” she said with a laugh. Otter wagged her tail and almost appeared to smile with a look of satisfaction in her eyes. Made you smile! My job here is done. She came out of the water, shook herself off and rolled around in the grass. The water grew calm and Snow saw the shiny red object again. She was wading through the creek as the girls came running up.
“What are you doing, Snow?” asked Samantha.
“I see something in the water. Look, right there.” She pointed. “Wait. I’ll get it and bring it over. You probably can’t see it with me stirring up the water. Otter did that to me a minute ago as well.” She made her way over to where she saw it. It took a second to find it then she bent down, picked it up and studied it. It was the biggest ruby she had ever seen.
“What is it?” Val asked from the edge of the creek.
“Look!” She held it up and ran back through the water.
The girls took turns with their exclamations of amazement. “Oh my gosh! Is that a ruby? It’s huge!”
“Sure looks like one to me. My mother had a ruby ring, but nothing like this.”
Together they wandered through the creek looking for more stones, but they didn’t find anything.
Something got Valerie’s attention on the other side of the creek. She walked over to Samantha and gave her a nudge.
“Sam, look! It’s the possum!”
“Val, maybe it’s not even the
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