Basket of Cupcakes

Out on the sidewalk, under Kiki’s once-favourite large oak tree sat Claire, Hopper and their three snot-nosed friends, Ashley, Brittany and Regina. They were sipping apple juice on their couches. What were their couches doing outside on the sidewalk in the first place? It seemed things couldn’t get any worse, but Kiki was wrong, out bounced Ben, in his khaki shorts and white vest and ridiculously colourful socks with some biscuits.

“Kiki! You’re late today poppet? Look who’s here, your buddies from school.” Ben said as he scooped Kiki up in his big arms and gave her a kiss and a squeeze. As Ben swung her from left to right in his arms, planting kisses on her cheeks, Kiki’s head moved from side to side trying to maintain eye contact with Claire thru small suspicious eyes.

“Why are the couches outside dada? Shouldn’t it be inside?” Kiki whined pointing to the front door just in case Ben lost his marbles and wasn’t sure where it goes. “We can’t sit outside in the rain you know!”

“It will go back into the house soon chicken, I have an extermination company fumigating the house. Oh no, thought Kiki as she slowly turned to Claire who had obviously been attentively listening to the whole conversation. Claire looked at her and mouthed silently “Kiki has bugs!”

“Come sit Kik’s, have some nice cold juice and cookies with your buddies while the guys finish up.” Kiki threw her bag down in a huff and a puff and walked over and sat next to Brittany.

When Ben walked into the house Kiki turned to Claire.

“What are you doing here?” Kiki asked thru narrow eyes.

“Oh, we were on our way home and saw these couches and decided we’ll have a break, we thought it was being thrown out because they do look rather raggedy.”

At that Brittany, Ashley and Regina cackled.

“Then your dad saw us and insisted we have something to drink. How precious.

Does he always dress up like that?”

Hopper responded. “My dad has the same shorts Kiki.”

“No one asked you, Hopper. You’re only here because your mum and my mum are friends.

Anyway, we have to get home now.

Come on guys, we would need to take a hot shower, don’t want any bugs crawling into our ears at night.”

Ashley, Brittany and Regina squealed as they jumped up and yelled in unison “Ewwwww gross!” And off they went.

Once the coast was clear and there was no sign of Claire and her gang, Geordie and Ada appeared and sat next to Kiki.

“Sorry Kiki, they can be really ugly. I like your couches. We don’t have any.”

“Thanks, Geordie; this was the last thing I picked out with my mum. It’s my favourite. I don’t need Claire to like them. I’m pretty sure there is not much in the whole entire world that she does like anyway.

Would you like some juice and cookies?”

“Yeah sure, it’s quite nice under this tree. I heard it’s like a million years old and if you listen carefully you can hear the whispers of past ghosts.” They fell silent for a second and then decided if they did hear a ghost it would rather spooky so they laughed it off and spoke of bald McPherson’s tiny clothes. It seemed he shopped in the kiddies section. Geordie and Ada lived diagonally across Kiki so they had become quite close since they moved in.

Ben came out and sat down with them. “Hi Geordie and Ada, so how was your day?”

“It was good sir,” replied Geordie.

“Good stuff. Kiki, we can go back inside in an hour, why don’t you enjoy the afternoon and get your homework done here while I go sort out the cleaning?”

“Yes Dada,” said Kiki.

“We need to go too, Kiki, see you later? We can ride our bikes if mum allows me out today.”

“Sure Geordie that will be great.”