Beauty and the Beast

24

As the family was enjoying their pumpkin and pecan pie, Lindsey cleared his throat, 

"Mr. Nicks?" 

"Jess, please son. What's up?" He asks.

"Well, I was wondering if I could set up outside of your bakery tomorrow." Lindsey scratches the back of his neck.

"Set up?" Jess questions looking between the pair. 

"Stevie." Lindsey looks at her.

"What?" She asks the baby suckling against her breast and a piece of pie sticking out of her mouth. 

"It was your idea, why don't you tell them about it?" Lindsey questions.

"Alright, so we're redoing the castle. By redoing I mean that we're cleaning out all of Lindsey's brother's and parent's stuff. It's been sitting there for twenty-four years now getting dusty and we want to do some good. In the buggy we have a bunch of clothing pieces that don't fit me, because trust me I went through Ruth's clothing thoruoghly and picked out some stuff that I found out actually fit me, they're a litle long but Margi's hemming them and letting some things out for me. Anyway, there's nightgown sets, I took most of them but there are a couple that I didn't like, there's some silver from the cabinets that Christine our cook doesn't use and she wants to get rid of, there's some paintings that we decided we had no use for, some small decor items and there are even shoes because while Lindsey can fit in his dad's shoes I can't fit into Ruth's and we want to give them to the towns people. Not sell them, give them away for free and we have no where to do it. We're hoping that it'll pique interest outside of the bakery and then word will spread. We're trying to make up for the years that Lindsey wasn't the best king. And I know we'll face some backlash but it'll make us feel better." Stevie explains.

"Can we go?" Lori points the yard.

"Be our guest. We have enough of everything for the towns people to have one thing per person." Stevie shrugs as Lori bolts out of the house. 

"She's going for the nightgowns." Stevie says after a moment checking on her nursing baby and then pushing the seat back allowing her to go out and assist Lori. 

"Stevie, they're silk." Lori gasps holding one up.

"It's a medium." Stevie points out. 

"Really, oh that's the perfect fit." She cheers clutching the silky night gown to her chest. 

"You CAN have it." Stevie nods. 

"Oh which color?" Lori asks.

"Chris'll like the purple one. He always used to ask me to make you purple dresses because he said it looks good with your red hair." Stevie nods. 

"Oh thank you so much." Lori throws her arms around Stevie. 

When they get back into the house Lori holds the nightgown up to Chris.

"Purple's the color of royalty." He states.

"I didn't think of that, this is so exciting. Queen Ruth actually wore this?" Lori looks between Lindsey and Stevie.

"I was thirteen I never met her." Stevie shrugs.

"It was her favorite she wore it all the time, It's going to look good on you Lori." Lindsey nods.

"Can I give you a hug?" She asks.

"Lucky for you, i'm a hugger." He winks as she throws her arms around him.

"Thank you so much." She says in excitement. 

"Can I go now?" Chris asks.

"Of course, i'll go with you...there's something that in the buggy that I want to give Jessie." Stevie nods.