That Was Then
Late Winter
Early Spring
- 1 - Lilac
- 2 - Departure
- 3 - Escape
- 4 - Consequences
- 5 - Girl Power
- 6 - Pivot Points
- 7 - Sewing Bees
- 8 - If At First ...
- 9 - Moving On
Late Spring
- 10 - Green Ham
- 11 - Shopping
- 12 - Arguements!
- 13 - More Shopping
- 14 - Routines
- 15 - Yet More Shopping
- 16 - Too Close For Comfort
- 17 - Blood Trail
- 18 - First-Aid
- 19 - Semblance Of Normality
Summer
21 - Summer Jamboree
Sophia-Grace burst into the bus, flapping a piece of paper in her hand.
"You need to get us some paint", she said, waving the paper under Deano's nose, "lots of paint, lots of colours."
Lottie grabbed the paper, quickly scanned it, and added, "Yes, lots and lots of pretty paints."
Ona, reading over her shoulder, cooed, and added, "It'll be so much fun!"
"What will be?", Deano enquired in general, and to no one but himself, "Why always me?"
"This!", said EssGee, grabbing the paper and thrusting it under his nose, "A Summer Jamboree."
"What's a 'Jamboree'?"
"THIS!", she jabbed the paper with her finger.
Deano placed his hand over the paper, looked EssGee straight in the eye and repeated, "What's a 'Jamboree'?" His illiteracy was still a secret from Ona and Lottie.
Realisation dawned in EssGee's eyes, "Ah", she stumbled, "right."
"It's like a big fair", chimed in Lottie.
"Everyone comes from miles around", added Ona.
"But the best bit", interjected EssGee smiling, "is that groups travel to them in brightly painted old vehicles."
Realisation dawned in Deano's eyes, "Like old school buses?"
"YES!", chorused the three girls.
"And where are *we* going to get the paint from?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something", said EssGee, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Deano didn't know the word 'logistics' but that's what he'd been going over in his mind - paint, brushes, de-greaser, cleaner, overalls, little-girl-cleaner - but that was all solvable. The issue of navigating to these Jamborees was a bigger problem - one that was forcing him to confront head on a bridge that he'd been dreading to cross. He went in search of EssGee.
She was sitting in the sun on the verge darning one of Lottie's socks like it was the most normal thing to be doing by the side of a road. Trills sounded from a small wood over the ditch where the children were playing.
He stood, casting a shadow over her, until she stopped her needlework and looked up.
"I'll get the paint on one condition."
"Ohhhhh yes? And what would that be?"
Screwing up his eyes and calling on all his reserves he quickly said, "Youteachmetoread."
"Slow down!"
"Ummmmmmmmmmmmm. You teach me, ummmmmmmmm, to read."
"Deal!"
Upon reflection, Deano realised that EssGee had agreed way too fast for his liking.
20 - School's Out