Sophie took a pin and stuck the flyer onto the bulletin board at her town's public library. It read:
Looking for a chance to kick back and relax with some me-time? Want your kids to have a fun learning experience? Well, here's your solution! Havensfield Farm offers a babysitting service this Saturday, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Fun, safe, and filled with Barnyard Critters, this could be your dream come true!
Underneath the flyer, the date was was typed in thick, bold lettering.
With some help from her friends, Sophie had devised a flyer that she was proud of. It had started when she mentioned wanting to save up some extra money, and then Edaline had suggested the idea of a one day daycare (Sophie's friends were going to help with this too), where the parents could drop their kids off for a few hours. Six to be exact!
Even though Sophie didn't have any siblings, she had plenty of experience helping Dex tame the triplets. If she could handle them, she could handle anything! Grinning to herself, Sophie waved at a friendly librarian, as she made her way out of the library to meet Edaline in the car.
Edaline smiled when she swung into the passenger seat. "Let's go eat dinner with Grady at home, and after, I think you have some cleaning up to do. If kids are coming over, then we need to get that barn of ours all set!" Edaline fastened her seatbelt as she spoke. Sophie nodded eagerly, excited to get to work. This would be interesting . . .
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Sophie glared at Ethel, and blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. Somehow she could never get those ponytails right . . . . "Alright, missy. Fifth time's a charm." Sophie said to the stubborn little mule--well, goat. She was attempting to get Ethel locked away in an inside pen (Ethel practically ate little kids for breakfast) for when the kids got to Havensfield Farm the next day.
"One of us is going to have to cooperate, and it's going to be you." Sophie tried pushing Ethel into the pen, but Ethel might as well have been bolted to the ground. Ethel seemed to laugh at Sophie with her eyes. Sophie changed tactics.
"Here, Ethel!" She cajoled. "Come get your yummy treat! That's it!" Sophie pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from her pocket (when trying to get Ethel to do something, bribary was crucial). Ethel suddenly trotted up, and ate the seeds before Sophie could back away into the pen. Sophie sighed. It was no use.
"Sophie!" Biana called, being finished with putting up a banner. "How's it going with taming the beast?" she winked, and then giggled at Sophie's dusty clothes, crazy hair, and Ethel munching on her sunflower seeds.
Sophie laughed, exasperatedly. "We'll just have to make sure not to let the kids come in with her. They can still play with Dolly, the chickens, Mrs. Piggy, and the geese." Dolly was a llama, and Mrs. Piggy was a kunekune pig. The Ruwens had lots more animals, but those ones couldn't hurt a kid, and they were the most friendly.
Linh and Marella had finished cleaning out all of the stalls and feeding the animals, so they came outside with Sophie and Biana. The girls surveyed their work, and nodded appreciatively.
Sophie smiled. "All that is left is . . ." she scanned her list. "Thinking of some activities, buying some materials for painting pictures, and deciding and making the food we'll need."
Marella snickered. "Would it be mean to serve bacon?" Mrs. Piggy looked offended.
Sophie glared, but then grinned. "Marella, you know my parents are vegetarians, and I still eat meat, just not a lot."
"I know, but don't you think it would be--"
The sound of tires crunching against gravel interrupted the their teasing argument. The noise was coming from a slightly battered grey minivan. Wait . . . that looked a lot like . . . Dex's car?! Maybe he was coming to help!
That's what she thought until Rex, Bex, and Lex swarmed out of the van jumping around and play wrestling. Julie smiled and waved at Sophie, reached out of the window and gave her three kids hugs. Before Sophie could react, Juline peeled away, leaving a trail of dust behind her.
"She just . . . left them here?" Biana asked, clearly also confused. Marella shrugged.
Sophie walked over to the triplets. "Sophie!!!" they cheered, and tackled her in a hug. Sophie grinned.
"Hey guys!" she said. "So . . . why are you here?"
The siblings looked at each other and held out a crumpled flyer. Sophie's flyer. A flyer that when Sophie looked closer, said that the daycare was . . . today?!?! There must have been a misprint! It was okay, she reasoned, she could just call Juline and explain. It was simple! Easy fix. Just as she was about to explain this to the little munchkins, cars started arriving. Apparently their flyer had reached more then just a few families . . . Sophie was going to need some serious help. Lots of it.
YOU ARE READING
The Foxfire Chronicles- Comrades and Classmates
HumorA modern alternate universe story with Shannon Messenger's hilarious, lovable KOTLC characters!(She owns them, not me!) Have you ever wondered what Shannon's characters would be and act like if they were humans? And had hilarious adventures? And f...
