CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
(part five)

“What’s a matter, Katy-baby?” Jill asked.

“Apes don’t like snow,” Katy said in Jill’s ear.

While Jill held Katy tight, Sandy watched a group of boys approach Nash. The boys seemed to argue, then one of the boy’s pushed Nash. Then pushed him again!

As Sandy ran to him, Nash fell onto the ground. Sandy helped Nash up.

“You stupid jerk,” Noelle yelled at the boy. “Who do you think you are? You can’t push my brother around?”

The boys laughed at Noelle. With one arm around Nash, Sandy grabbed Noelle’s arm. She dragged them away from the jeering boys.

“I was thinking about getting some cocoa,” Jill said.

“Cocoa sounds perfect,” Sandy replied. Turning to Nash, she asked, “What was that?”

Angry, Nash shook his head and looked down. When he slumped into himself, Noelle shrugged.

“I didn’t hear them,” Noelle said. “There’s a new boy in Nash’s class that’s a real bully. He’s mean and he gets all the boys to gang up on other kids. Girls too. I don’t like him at all. Like not even one little bit.”

“We’ll get some cocoa and non-Dad approved snacks then see the other side of the zoo,” Sandy said.

Nash brightened at the idea of snacks. Jill put Katy down so that she could run off with Noelle to the snack area.

“Nash?” Jill asked. “My brother Mike knows exactly how to handle boys like taht. Would you like me to ask him to teach you?”

Nash’s head jerked up to look at Jill. Hope flashed across his face. He nodded.

“I bet we could track him down today,” Jill said. “He could meet us here at the zoo, even. Would you like that?”

Nash nodded.

“Great,” Jill said.  She held the door for Nash. As they walked through it, she said, “I was bullied for a lot of years. I know how awful it feels. But there is nothing wrong with you. I would tell you if there was. There’s something wrong with them.”

Nash threw himself into her arms. Jill held him.

“Nash! They have brownies!” Noelle yelled.

With smile of gratitude to Jill, Nash ran off to meet his sister. Sandy and Jill shared a look of understanding. Sandy followed the kids to pay while Jill called Mike. Hopefully they wouldn’t see the little bullies again.

At least until Mike arrived.

~~~~~~~~

Sunday afternoon – 3:30 P.M.

Standing in the wheelchair accessible stall, MJ began the chant.

“Two lines, two lines, two lines.”

He peered into the beige plastic apparatus. Honey was sitting on the toilet.

“You’re sure we have to do this right this moment,” she said.

“Why wait? Plus you said they’d already been here,” MJ said. Gesturing with the pee stick, he continued, “You’re over the hard part of your day. I have to leave for a trip on Tuesday. I figure if this test is positive, we’ll go to the doctor tomorrow and see what’s what. We don’t really know if we can keep the baby, if there is one because of all the meds you’ve been on. I mean, maybe it makes the baby sick or ill or…. We don’t know about the Crohn’s either. I talked to Steve and he said that his sister Cindy, well and Delphie of course, are working on good recipes for you.”

“MJ,” Honey said.

“I know you didn’t like some of the things she made for you, but it’s still nice of her to try. Delphie froze all that food from their garden. They’ve found some really great stuff too. Or at least I’ve thought it was great. And you beat the infection. And you haven’t had a flare up in a….”

“MJ,” Honey said.

“…while. I mean, I know it’s been really hard. And I travel a lot, but you’ve been so happy the last month or so. Working with Bambi and having Steve help you. Steve told me that Leslie is thinking about staying home when the baby comes. That means he’ll be available to help even after his baby ….”

“MJ!” Honey yelled.

“What? Why are you yelling?”

Honey pointed to the beige plastic stick. MJ looked at the pee stick in his hands. Yelping with joy, he lifted Honey from the commode. She laughed as he danced around the bathroom with her in his arms. With great intensity, he kissed her lips. Helping her back into her motorized wheelchair, the pee stick, with it’s two pink lines, fell. Honey caught it before it hit the ground.

With any luck, they were going to have a baby.

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….