Preparing For Big Things

As Easter Sunday and the prom approach, things are getting busy in the Pike household.  Spring Break offers little relief to the woman of the house.  Besides her career, there are certain traditions in the family that belong to the mother.  Dyeing eggs for the bunny to bring is one of them.  

Rose-Grace: Thanks for bringing another dozen eggs, Morgan.  The last thing I need right now was to have to go into town!  If one more person asks me out of the blue what I'm going to do about the arsonist, I might come out swinging.  

Morgan: Any word yet on the problem with the detective?

Rose-Grace: The Sheriff is disappointed that we aren't happy to let Spiro handle it.  I guess Inter-departmental cooperation means very little in the face of media glory.  

McG: That's ridiculous.  No matter your profession, the best results depend upon cooperating with others.  I've been struggling with the Jane Eyre project and if it weren't for Suzie Dean's help...  Well, she's been a godsend.

Morgan: Isn't she Stacie's teacher? Why's she helping with a high school English project? 

McG: Elementary School Physical Education, yes.  I initially contacted her about casting young Jane and Adele.  She offered to help in any way she can.

Rose-Grace:  Suzie's brilliant.  Wasted teaching gym, if you ask me.  Now, let's relax while we wait for the eggs to boil.  Dyeing enough eggs for this brood is a job and we should take advantage of the chance. 

Morgan: Put the kids to work.  (Rose-Grace and McG exchange a glance.)  Oh, come on, they can't be that bad.  

*****

Upstairs, in the 'boy cave' 

Fred (giggling and out of breath):  Quit tickling, Four, I'm gonna have a pee pee accident!

Tanner: I told you to stop walking up to my friends and informing them that they're F-words.  

Fred: Mr. John said cause I'm a F-word, I gotta bring a list of other F-words to school and you only told me bad words!

Tanner: I told you Finnick.  Is he a bad word?

Nakoma: Is that why you asked me what kind of Indian I am?  In case it starts with an F? 

Finnick: Yeah, but I told him you're Virginia Algonquin, or Pamunkey.

Fred: Are you really a Pow Monkey? 

Nakoma: I've gotta go.  We're shopping for Prom dresses this afternoon.  Well, Whitney and Mariko are.  I've already got mine.  (To Fred)  I have a nice little book at home that you can borrow.  All about us Pow Monkeys.

*****

Doll County Mall, that afternoon

Wilma: Lemme down!  I wanna go peek! 

Nakoma: No way.  If I have to wait, so do you.  Tell me about the W words you've collected for school.  

Wilma: Whitney, Wendy, William - that's my meanie grandpa - and waitress and wiggle and...  Ooh, Mommy, you look so pretty!  

Mariko: What am I, chopped liver?

Wilma: You're pretty but Mommy is the most prettifullest.

Nakoma: I love that pink on you!  Gorgeous!  (turns to Whitney) Yours is lovely, but I think you should go with another color.  If Tanner is anything like Finnick, that white dress will have him hearing wedding bells. 

Whitney: That's kind of the point.  If we end up getting married, I can use the same dress.  Save some money, you know?

Mariko:  Girl, some things are not meant for pinching pennies.  Things like Prom and weddings. 

Wilma: I'm the beautifulest mommy getting married to one of the twins. 

Nakoma: Your daughter doesn't even know which one he is and you're already talking marriage?

Whitney: Well, not really.  But you guys know how frugal I am.  And Mom's the same size.  What if she decides to marry Brent? 

Wilma: I'm the beautifulest Gramma marrying Brent.