Page 56 of Snow Blind
"What, Miss Princess Naomi?"
"Misses Sprinkles broke her toenail! She sure did, and Bleu, the one with the beard, took her over to his house for the winter. He said she'd get new shoes, but Uncle Jay, he has other horses. Big horses and she's little. Do you think they will pick on her, 'cause she's smaller than them?"
"I think Bleu and Jason will make sure Misses Sprinkles will make friends with Lancelot and Guinevere," he said. "They are nice horses."
"Okay, good," she answered, batting her lashes and grinning at him, showing off missing her front teeth. "Next time, can you get me a car? I can drive it from here to the barn to take her treats when she comes back."
"Can't you ask your Daddy to get you a little car?"
"No, he thinks I'm a little kid and can't do anything by myself," Naomi explained. "If I had my own little pink car, I could put apples in the back and drive over to the barn to feed Misses Sprinkles."
A sparkle came to his eye, imagining Naomi in a little pink Jeep, driving through the backyard over to the barn. For shits and giggles, first chance he got, one was getting ordered and delivered to the house. He looked to see Michael staring at him. Then this brother shot a bird at him.
"Don't even think about it," Michael said to him.
"What? I didn't do anything," he said, laughing. Mustang proceeded to help set up the tree and then Naomi noticed her grandfather.
"Oh. Hey, Grandpa Man! I didn't see you. How you doing?" she asked.
Mark was offended. "I don't get hugs and kisses or a story?"
"A story about what, Grandpa Man?"
"Stop calling me that. I am just Grandpa."
"Okay Just Grandpa," she said, smiling and showing off the tiny teeth. "Will you let Grandma know I'll be over soon as I shower and get dressed? I know she misses me."
Mark growled at the dismissal. He'd had enough of little Miss Highhanded. "Sure. You guys ready?"
"Ready," both men called out. Michael trailed the pickup in his own vehicle so he could drive them back to the house later in the day. To Helen, it would have been logical for everyone to go now to save on the travel, but it wasn't her circus, and they weren't her elephants to herd.
****
THE AFTERNOON PROVEDinteresting as everyone arrived at the family home to trim the tree. Ruth Neary was in a full-blown supermom mode, having gotten all the details from Mark on Jay moving to Indiana, his new job, and of course getting married. In a gust of air, she stood in the middle of the floor, making her announcement.
"Dang gone it! At least one of my kids is going to have a wedding! I am going to start planning this wedding ceremony right away. Helen, what are your colors and themes?" Ruth asked.
Mustang didn't blink or hesitate when he responded, "Ma, no you are not."
"What do you mean? This will be the wedding for the season," Ruth said.
"Ma, it will be Helen's wedding, and Helen's wedding to plan," he said. "If she wants your help, she'll ask for it."
"I'm going to start planning," Ruth muttered.
"Again, no, you are not," Mustang said. "Helen is in the middle of life altering training which requires her focus. She doesn't need to worry about baby's breath, spaghetti straps, or what flavor icing is on a cake. Take a back seat, Ma. She'll let you know what she needs."
"It's not fair, I want a wedding," Ruth pouted.
"Then plan a recommitment ceremony for you and Dad," he said. "My wife has other concerns at the moment, and when she's ready to begin planning her dream wedding, if she even wants to do it, then she will begin the process."
Ruth waved her hand at him and said, "A recommitment ceremony?"
"Isn't there a big anniversary coming up? Dad, aren't you retiring soon? What about Abigail's baby shower? There are other events to work on, Ma," Mustang said, trying to shift her focus.
"Oh, a retirement party," Ruth said, heading to the kitchen for more cranberries.
Helen walked over to Mustang, and in his ear, she whispered something so raunchy, bordering on distasteful, and absolutely hilarious about his penis that he found himself blushing. She looked him squarely in the eyes, saying simply, "I didn't know it was possible to love a man as much as I love you right now. Thank you."
