Lotto

22

They were matching...it wasn't planned for them to be matching, but they were. Freya was wearing a cream sweater with ruffles on it paired with a pink tutu skirt and her brown Mary Janes. Stevie was wearing a cream colored dress with pink flowers on it and her tan platform boots. Lindsey was wearing a cream button down and his jeans and it was totally unprompted. Stevie got dressed after Lindsey did because she had to dry her hair and do her makeup. And Freya was dressed when Lindsey went into her room to get her and bring her down stairs.

But now they were walking into the school and just like every single year, Christine, Rebecca, and Heather were sitting at the entry table.

"Holy wow...Stephanie, Lindsey you look great." Rebecca looks Lindsey up and down.

"I know, He cut it last night and I cried. It was such a shock" Stevie nods.

"I needed a change. How many tickets should we get munchkin?" Lindsey asks Freya.

"20." Freya grins a toothless grin.

"20, I think we can do that." Lindsey nods pulling his wallet out and paying them.

"Daddy carry?" She holds her arms up.

"How come it's always daddy carry how come mommy can't carry."

"Lindsey she's almost as tall as me." Stevie tightens Freya's pony tail before he swoops down and picks her up in his arms.

"Only for a little though because you're a big girl now." Lindsey tells her.

"I know daddy." She nuzzles into his neck.

"You sure you don't want another one?" Christine asks.

"Just because you just had your second doesn't mean that I want another baby." She shakes her head.

"I'd want another baby with him." Rebecca points out.

"Rebecca!" Stevie gasps.

"What I'm just saying. We've had this conversation before, and I do like him better with short hair."

Lindsey just smirks in response. "Come on Angel, before they make you angry...See ya guys later." He smiles wrapping his free arm around Stevie's hips and guiding her away from the group.

"Alright peanut where do you want to go first?" Stevie asks.

"Aunt Liza's working at the book fair." Freya smiles.

"Yeah why don't you volunteer?" Lindsey asks.

"I'm apart of the PTA that's good enough. And I didn't even want to do that, but I felt obligated too because I work here. So Heather recruited me to run the stupid meetings." Stevie adjusts her purse referring to her new Monday night activities the first Monday of school every month.

She leads them over to the library where they do meet up with Greg, Eliza, Max, Sherilyn, and Jackson, their three year old. Greg was holding Jackson and as soon as everyone saw each other Freya wiggled her way out of Lindsey's grasp so she could go play with Sherilyn.

Stevie and the other Buckingham's were in a hushed conversation when Stevie felt someone come up next to her.

"Mrs. B hi." He waves.

"Grant, how are you?" She asks.

Grant was in Freya's class and he was one of her speech students. He didn't have a speech impediment his brain just couldn't connect the words he reads in a book to how they have to be said out loud.

"I'm good, I got a new book for us to work with." He holds it up to her.

"Alright can you read me the title?" She squats down to his level and points to the words

"C-Cah-Cowy."

"Break it down for me, C-." She starts.

"C-L-l-lou-ow-dee."

"Good job can you say it faster Cloudy?"

"Clouwy."

"Alright, that s close enough. Cloudy, what's this word we know this one."

"With."

"Right, good job With...next one."

"A."

"A. Good job this word."

"Ch-Change."

"No, not Change. Close CH-AN-CE.

"Ch-an-ce."

"Cloudy with a chance."

"Clouwy With A Ch-Ance of..."

"Good, what's the last word?"

"Mebull."

"Close, Meat-t-t. Can you say Meat?"

"Me-at."

"Good, B-AH, like you're at the Dentist."

"Me-At B-AHHH-Ls."

"Good Job, can I get a hug?" Stevie holds her arms out for him.

He hugs her and then she smiles.

"Alright, so you remember to bring this book with you on Monday and we'll read it together okay." She smiles.

"Is Freya here?"

"She is, she's right over there looking at the books." Stevie points.

"Bye Mrs. B."

"Bye kiddo." She stands up and straightens out her skirt and she's met with six eyes staring at her.

"You're really important at this school aren't you?" Eliza asks.

"I'd like to think so." She smiles.

"You were so good with him." Greg nods.

"Well, I only studied speech communication for five years and I've been doing this for eleven." She shrugs.

"That's the first time I've actually seen you work. I mean I watched you teach Freya how to talk, but that's as far as it went. it was great Steph." Lindsey pulls her into his arms, and she stays there her head on his shoulder her hands clasped at his left hip. His right hand kneading at her shoulder.

"You're going to see it again." She motions with her head at the little girl and her mom who were quickly walking up to them.

"H-Hi, M-Mrs. Buh-Buh-King-am."

"Hi Annie, you can call me Mrs. B though you know." Stevie smiles.

"I-I k-k-now b-but I-it g-gives me pr-pr-pr...."

"Prack-Tiss" Stevie sounds out.

"P-Pr-rack-Tiss." She nods.

"I just wanted to say Mrs. Buckingham, thank you. She's struggled since she was little but working with you. She's come leaps and bounds and when she said that it was you I knew we had to come over and see you." Her mother shrugs.

"Well, it's my pleasure. She's a sweet kid." Stevie grins.

"M-Mrs. Buh-King-Am who hug-ging."

"Well, I'm hugging Mr. Buckingham." She smiles.

"Yo-your H-hus-band."

"Yes, my husband, Good job, and this is Max's mom and dad, Also, Mrs. and Mr. Buckingham." She points.

"Oh y-yeah you're M-Max's A-An-Ant."

"I am. yes." She nods.

"Alright, well we'll let you be. I just really wanted to come up and say thank you and I know she wanted to see you."

"It's no problem, I love when my kids come and see me. Would you like a hug Annie?"

"B-Buh, Mi-Mis-ter Buh-King-Am is hug-ging."

"Well yeah, but he hugs me all of the time," Stevie pulls away from Lindsey and wraps her arms around Annie.

"Thank you Mrs. Buckingham." Her mother repeats.

"My pleasure. Now though,I need to find MY child and see how many books she thinks she's getting." Stevie sighs walking away from everybody in search of her child.