Her mom nodded slightly. “It’s okay, Mary.”
“I thought you might be,” Penelope said with a conspiratorial wink. “And do you know the thing I know about seven-year-olds?”
“What?” Mary asked, eyes wide, completely at ease now.
“They are the best at picking out desserts. Do you think you could help me?”
Again, Mary looked at her mother, who smiled her permission, relaxing more herself as her baby’s crying had turned to quieter sniffling.
“Yes!” Mary said with confidence.
“Oh, wonderful.” Penelope checked in once more with her mother, who nodded indulgently. “I need something to share with a friend.” As she said it, she looked around, surprised to find Finn watching her, only ten feet away. “Actually, there he is now.”
Mary turned in the direction she was looking, her timid smile suddenly bursting into one of pure happiness. “You know Mr. Casey?” The girl’s voice was full of awe and reverence.
“Looks like she does,” her mother answered for her, her expression practically mirroring her daughter’s.
“And you want me to help pick something out for him?” She bounced on her toes excitedly.
“If you don’t mind,” Penelope said casually, wondering how this child knew Finn and why she felt so strongly about him.
“Oh, yes,” she squealed, finally letting go of the stroller to press her face up against the glass, studying her choices.
Penelope moved closer to her mother, pointing at Mary with an inquisitive expression.
“Sure, what harm?” her mother whispered back. “If you’re a friend of Mr. Casey, why not?”
Penelope stepped up behind the girl, leaning in to look with her. “Well, what do you think?”
“Definitely that one,” she pointed insistently at a cupcake with heaps of white frosting and a candy carrot on top.”
“Carrot cake cupcake,” Penelope read the sign in front of it. “And do you like carrot cake?” she asked in her serious, contemplative voice.
Mary nodded solemnly.
“Wonderful.” She looked up just as the salesperson approached. “Two of these, please.”
“Lovely.”
Penelope had to admit at that moment, she did feel lovely.
“I thought you were sharing?” Mary asked. “They are very big, you know.”
Swiping her card to pay, Penelope took the two little boxes they were packaged in. “I had noticed,” she agreed, stepping out of the way of the next customer. “That’s why you’ll have to share yours with your mom.”
The look of surprise made it totally worth it. It often felt like more and more kids in her class came with an air of entitlement. It wasn’t as much fun to give them treats or surprises when they expected them and didn’t even bother to say thank you. It was the few children who accepted these things with surprise and gratitude that prompted Penelope to continue, though.
“Thank you,” Mary said, taking the cupcake as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Then, she turned to wave her whole arm at Finn. “I picked you the best one, Mr. Casey.”
Finn, who was obviously guarding a table for them, smiled widely and waved back. “I can’t wait to try it, Mary. Thank you,” he called back to her. His voice just carrying over the din of shoppers around them.
“Thank you,” Mary’s mother murmured. “You just made her day.”
“Happy to do it,” Penelope said as she drifted away, wondering whether she meant the cupcake or the Mr. Casey sighting.
Finn had snagged a small wooden table on a metal stand, accompanied by two matching chairs with seat backs of iron twisted into the shape of hearts. She sighed dreamily, wishing she could infer something from them, but she was smart enough not to. She felt like little Mary, her heart on her sleeve.
“One of your fans?” Penelope asked as she approached.
