Love Is Where You Find It

Part 16

It's such a beautiful day, pale blue sky with wispy white clouds passing overhead and a brilliantly shining sun. They had breakfast and Loretta made sandwiches for lunch.  She just hopes that they will have fun, that the kids won't give Henry a hard time or turn him off just by being themselves. They all have so much energy and heads full of mischief.

"Why is your friend a boy?" Cissie asks as Loretta ties her hair into pigtails, covering the rubber bands with ribbons.

"Betty got a friend at school whose a boy," Loretta says. "You can be friends with boys when you're a girl, too."

"Even as a grown up?" Jack asks.

"Yes," Loretta tells him firmly. "Cissie, please hold still, will you?" she scolds her wiggling daughter. Betty Sue comes skipping in, the dress she is wearing covering her underwear just barely. "Betty Sue, no. You gotta wear somethin' else. Why don't you put on your shorts? You like your shorts."

Betty shrugs, then walks off to get her shorts.

"Loretta!" The call is preceded by Brenda's appearance. "Can I go too?"

"No," Clara bellows from the kitchen. "Absolutely not. You can play here."

Loretta is thankful for the response. She really wouldn't mind if Brenda came too, though it's hard to keep her and Ernest from fighting. But she can't spring that on Henry. Four kids is already overwhelming for someone who has none, five would be too much without a doubt.

"You can come some other time," Loretta tells her apologetically.

"I don't want her!" Ernest protests.

"Can I take my doll?" Cissie begs.

"No," Loretta says without consideration. She's not letting her take the doll anywhere where it might get lost. Cissie won't sleep without it now so it's vital that the doll not be lost. Loretta is rather nervous about the kids being around water all at once, especially since she can't swim and the younger two can't either. Doo taught Betty and Jack, so Ernest and Cissie might never know if she is to be relied on. She doesn't understand why Doo doesn't even want them. In those papers he sent it said that he had no interest in the children at all, at least that is what she gathered in between all that legal language she hardly understands.

"Betty!" Loretta calls. "Are you dressed? Betty Sue?"

She lets Cissie run off and makes her way to the girl's bedroom, where Betty Sue is crouched on the floor with her marbles.

"Betty Sue, what are you doin'?" Loretta scolds. "We're gettin' ready to go now."

She is at least wearing her shorts and a shirt. Her hair is brushed but a few of the strands protest the action. Betty Sue heaves herself up and follows.

"Can I take my sword?" Ernest demands of Loretta as soon as they come face to face.

"No," Loretta says. "We won't take no toys but we don't got to neither. It'll be fun."

Her eyes scan over them, noting whether everyone is wearing shoes and all the clothes requires to go outside. "Alright babies, let's go. Jack Benny leave the car here."

Her son glares as he drops said car onto the ground. Loretta rolls her eyes, choosing to let this one go and usher them out of the house, grabbing her guitar on the way out. They stand on the front lawn for a few minutes before Henry pulls up in his father's truck.

Henry exits the truck and walks over, trying to put on a confident swagger. Loretta can tell that it's an act, but she appreciates the effort. Henry looks at the kids, a gaze they return with bright eyes full of inquiry. Loretta opens her mouth to speak, but unable to find the words, she snaps it shut again.