Love Is Where You Find It

Part 17

After some more encouragement (if that is what you can call it) Loretta brings to work both her children and her guitar. She has no intentions of singing at the diner and is pretty sure that this thing with her kids is not going to work out.

She is working early today, and already the kids are bouncing off the walls. As per usual, Henry is waiting for her in front of the diner.

"There you are," Henry greets her with a wide grin. "Hi kids."

"Hi, Mister Henry," Cissie squeals. "We get to eat fries."

"You can have hot chocolate too," Henry says. "Our hot chocolate is so good, you wouldn't believe it. Do y'all like hot chocolate?"

They, quite predictably, respond with a chorus of 'Yes'.

"Lou just made it now, so can I give em some?" Henry asks Loretta.

"Please!" Jack grabs at her shirt. "Puh-please, Mommy!"

"Don't you spoil em," Loretta says, only half joking. She grabs Ernest by the arm when he looks like he is going to take off.

The children are headed into the diner and back to the kitchen, Loretta telling them that they are only allowed to come back there after being given permission unless there is an emergency.

Henry pours hot chocolate for all of them. "Be careful," he warns. "It's pretty hot so no spilling."

"Sit down while you drink," Loretta demands. "You can sit down over there."

Henry grins to himself as the four of them sit and take slow sips of hot chocolate.

"Ain't you lucky," Loretta says, running a hand over Betty Sue's hair. "Your mommy could never afford to buy this for y'all. And fries later."

"And we can buy some ice cream," Cissie chimes.

Loretta raises a brow at her. "Is that so, huh? I don't know 'bout that. That was a special treat when we was out."

"But we can do that again," Cissie says innocently. She turns toward Henry and grins.

Of course he bestows her with a smile, but Loretta shakes her head.

"Y'all better be good today," she warns. "You gotta play nice at the park and get along with each other and the other kids that's there."

Jack wrinkles his nose at her. "What if they ain't nice?"

Loretta swallows because she sure didn't consider the possibility of something like that- it's not as if they can go home if they find themselves dealing with a group of bullies.

"Then you come in here," Loretta says. "But don't start with anyone, right? Be nice."

Henry stands back with a large grin on his face, as if he is somehow amused by it. "Always nice, aren't they?" He winks at the kids, who continue to sip on cups of hot chocolate until every last bit of the liquid is gone.

Loretta makes them wash their hands and faces before sending them on their way to the park. It turns out to be a rather stressful situation, because she keeps having to run out to check on them while doing the dishes.

But whenever she does check, they look like they are playing happily and without incident. Slowly but surely the park fills up and more children join the fun.

After washing the dishes, she gets to wipe down the tables. Someone dropped a milkshake on the floor. It's a sticky mess that has her on her hands and knees to clean it.

"You poor thing." Henry's voice sounds above her.

Loretta turns a purposely pathetic face up toward him. "You got me workin' hard."