Two Strikes and Mommy's at Bat

Mike strolled up the path, carrying the stray kitten and laughing his ass off. "Hey, I don't know anything about cars, but I can give you ladies a lift home if you don't mind holding my new kitty."

He helped the girls out of the back seat and asked Beanie to hold his kitty for him while he hefted her car seat and led us to his old truck.

"Cool! I got the kitty! What's his name?" she asked.

"I haven't got that far. How about you girls name him? I think it's a him."

"I know. I know! Mr. Skunky Mc Skunkerson!" Katie called out.

"I like it," Beanie agreed.

"So be it. Skunky Mc Skunkerson it is. What should we call him we need him in a hurry?" Mike asked.

"Get over here, right now!" Beanie suggested.

Mike just laughed as he sat the girls in the back, strapping Beanie's car seat in like a pro. "It's not fancy, but it gets me where I need to go and can haul my rowboat."

"You have a boat?" Beanie asked.

"Yep. I like to go fishing. You girls like to fish?" Mike asked.

"Yuck. No. I don't like touching worms," Katie said, squinching her nose at the suggestion.

"I always put the worms on the hooks for my guests. You'll never have to touch one," he promised.

"Cool," was all Beanie had to say.

When we drove past the trailer I had been dreaming about owning at the end of the Summer season at camp, Katie said, "Mommy said she's going to buy us that house and put a swingset up for us in the backyard."

I was suddenly embarrassed by my shabby little dream home and wished Katie had never mentioned it. "Oh, just a thought," I dismissed it casually.

"Anybody living there now?" Mike asked.

"No. It's been empty for a while. That's probably why they're so eager to sell it."

"Let's stop and check it out. What do you say, girls?"

"Yeah!" Katie agreed.

"Cool!"

"Uh, okay. I suppose. I mean, it's not exactly the Buckingham Palace. It probably needs more work than I can afford anyway," I said, embarrassed.

"Karol, don't be silly. If anyone can put work into a project, it's you. You never stop from the time you hit the grounds until you go home at night, and even then you can't stop cause you got the girls to think of. Besides, a home isn't about the house. It's about the people in it."

"Oh. Oh, that's nice of you. But, this is a big project."

"It's right down the road from work. That's a plus right there. Don't forget fishing season starts at the end of September and runs until November. That's an extra three months of pay. Plus, the fishermen tip like crazy."

We wandered around the weedy yard, trying to peek through the dirty windows. The girls were eagerly figuring out where the swingset would go and arguing about who would get the top bunk in the new house.

We all climbed back into the truck after our tour and Beanie said, "I'm starving! You made me spit out the candy bar and now my tummy is empty!"

Mike looked over at me quizzically, "Why did she spit out a candy bar?"

"Oh, God, Mike, some guy bought the girls candy when I was checking to make sure the pool changing room was empty. I didn't know who he was and I didn't want to take chances."

"What did this guy look like?" he asked.

"Normal. Just a man with a hoodie and shorts, oh, and boots, not flip-flops. I'm not judging him. I'm just telling you about him." Katie repeated from our earlier conversation.

"Oh, that's Todd. He works for the beverage company filling all the snack and soda coolers. He's harmless. Sometimes he has extra snacks and can't fit them into the machines so he gives them away and writes them off as damaged."

"Are you sure he's safe?" I asked, worried that Mike was vouching for someone he didn't know too well.

"Yeah, he's okay."

"If you say so," I replied, dubiously. "Hey, I hate to impose even more on you but we have nothing in the house and I have to stop at the store first."

"No problem. I can stay with the girls if it will be quicker for you to do it alone," he suggested.

"Yeah Mommy, can I stay here and hold Skunkersons while you shop? Shopping is boring," Beanie whined.

"All right. Katie, do you want to come and push the cart?"

"Can I stay with the kitty too?"

"Sheesh. Lost out to a kitty. I'll make it quick. Thanks so much, Mike."

He didn't even hear me. By that time the three of them were giggling over me making them spit their gooey Snickers bars into my hand. Nothing like having an extra kid to take care of.