Children of the World

William knocked on Muriel’s door. He quickly looked around as he waited. Clearly, he didn’t want to do this. However, today was an emergency.

Come on, he thought. Hurry up! William looked up when he heard the door open. Muriel blinked at him when she saw him.

“Will?” she asked. “What are you doing here so early?” William cleared his throat. He muttered something under his breath. Muriel squinted at him as he moved his lips.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked. Will jerked his head upwards.

“I need your help with a gift!” he exclaimed. Muriel’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

“Oh?” she asked. “What’s this? The great William asking me for help?”

“Shut up!” he snapped. “Are you going to help or not?” Muriel put up her hands at him.

“Alright, alright,” she said. “Come in.” Her neighbor followed her inside.

------

Moments later, Aisha, Lewis, and Clyde sat in Muriel’s kitchen. A big pink doll sat in the middle of the table. The leader blinked at the plastic smiling face.

“And he wants to do what now?” she asked.

“Exchange them,” Muriel said.

“But why?” Lewis asked.

“Liz and Clover aren’t little girls anymore,” their friend explained.

“Then why ‘e get ‘em fou?” Clyde asked. Aisha glared at her.

“He didn’t buy them,” Muriel explained. “Their grandmother did.” Her friends looked up at her.

“Grandmother?” they asked.

“Yes,” Muriel said, nodding.

“Oh,” Lewis said.

“Yeah,” their friend said.

“But why ya?” Clyde asked. Muriel shrugged at her.

“I guess he trusts me,” she said.

“Hm,” her friends all replied. Muriel frowned at her own words.

------

Annie read through a jewelry catalog in the Sunny Plum. The items inside looked nice, but she only wanted one in particular. Her birthday was coming and she really wanted a ruby ring. Annie looked at her right hand.

“Tucker,” she said. Her husband looked up at her from clearing a table.

“What, woman?” he asked.

“Buy me a ring,” Annie said.

“What?” Tucker asked.

“I want a ring,” she repeated.

“Why?”

Annie gave him a huge grin. Tucker blinked at her, not getting.

“Why?” he asked again. His wife batted her eyelashes at him. He shook his head, clueless. Annie frowned and threw down the catalog.

“Forget it,” she muttered, walking off.

“What?” Tucker asked. “Talk to me!” The door swung closed.

“Geez,” he muttered to himself. “Women.”

------

Muriel, Lewis, Clyde, and Aisha stood in the book shop. Clyde looked around.

“’Hat we lookin’ four again?” she asked.

“Just a book that Clover would like,” Muriel said as Aisha hit her in the head. The leader gave her a blank stare.

“This is wrong,” she pointed out.

“How so?” Muriel asked.

“We’re replacing a gift that their grandmother bought with her heart,” Aisha said. “Wouldn’t this hurt her?”

“No,” the other three said.

“Why not?” the leader asked. Muriel put her arm around her shoulder.

“Come take a walk with me, will you?” she said in a calm voice. Lewis and Clyde giggled to themselves as their friend would get the “talk.” Minutes later, Muriel came back with a pale-faced Aisha. Lewis and Clyde peered at her.

“Well?” the farmer asked. Aisha slowly shook her head.

“Is she really like that?!” she yelped.

“Yes,” the other three said. Their leader clapped her hands together loudly.

“What are we standing are for?” she asked. “We’ve got work to do! Let’s get to it!” She marched into the young adult section to begin her search. The other three smirked to themselves and followed behind.

“Knew that would get her,” Lewis whispered.

“Yeah,” the other two whispered back.

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