Four year old Timmy wailed, "It's broken and you did it! Waa-a-aa-! Timmy was the youngest of the Festigue children. Since his mom had died in childbirth, he had never known a mother's love, only Bess. "We'll, take it to Bess, she'll fix it. She can fix anything!", eight year old Robert said, wide eyed.
Bess, hearing the commotion from the kitchen, where she was kneading dough for the Barksdale order, wiped her hands and went to see what Baby Timmy was caterwauling about, now. When she rounded the parlour door, she saw Robert, using his overall shirt to wipe Baby Timmy's eyes. When Robert saw Bess coming through the door, he said, "I didn't mean it to break Sis, honest I didn't." Timmy ran to Bess and had thrown his little arms around her knees and was weeping like no tomorrow. Bess, as she bent down to pick up Baby Timmy, said while wiping Baby Timmy's eyes with her apron," I know you didn't Robert. Now be a peach and get me that ball of twine in the tack drawer that Mr. Milsap sent over in payment for us shucking his roasting ears for him. Robert, glad that he was not going to get a scolding, scurried off to do as Bess said.
"There, there! My, my, such caterwauling" Bess said to Timmy as she wiped his steadily streaming eyes. Let Bessie see what she can do, humm?"
Timmy nodded a sniffling, okay. Bess set Timmy down and picked up the wooden toy tractor that had a splintered wheel. As she checked the toy tractor, a piece of another tire splintered off. Bess said to herself, "Just as I thought, dry rot. Twine won't do it."
When Robert came back with the twine, she told him to go and get her big sewing basket and put it beside the sofa. Then she used her apron and wiped Baby Timmy's eyes again and said, "Timmy, you gotta be a big boy for Bessie and help out around the house some now. Alright?" Timmy, who had never been allowed to "help out" nodded eagerly. When Robert came back with the sewing basket, Bess told him sweetly with her voice but sternly with her face that Timmy was going to start to "help out" around the place now. Robert's mouth fell open but he managed to squeak out, "Okay, Bess." He only called her Bess when he was shocked or thought that he might get into trouble. Bess smiled at him and said, "Take Timmy by the hand and y'all go out and pick up some pecans and find me four small pecan sticks. Y'all scurry now because I need to get the Barksdale's bread order done. "Robert" she said sternly. Watch for snakes with him, you hear me!"
"Yes, Bess, I hear."
Bess watched Robert take Baby Timmy down the steps to the pecan tree then she yelled, "Janie!" A voice right behind her said, "What".
Bess jumped and said, "Janie Festigue! What have I told you about sneaking up on people?"
"I didn't sneak Sis. I just came in from gathering the cranberries and I heard you talking. So when you called me, it scared me and I answered fast." Janie was laughing and so was Bess. Bess told her what had happened with the toy truck. Janie said, Bess, I hope we have enough extra this year to get them both real toy trucks this Christmas."
"Me too, Janie, me too."
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That's enough for today, don't you think? It seems that the Festigue's may be like Mrs. Ruby and remain around for a while. Tee hee I hope that is okay with you. Meet me, if the Lord wills, back at my blog tomorrow and we will see what comes up next in the lives of the Festigue children.
Doing What I Can, While I Can
Alma Jones
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